Witching Hour
by Sagarmatha
Summary: Crossover of TV show Hex and The Dark Jewels Trilogy Books by Anne Bishop. Jaenelle, Daemon, and Lucivar meet Cassie and Azazeal and others. Better description inside.
1. Chapter 1

_**This is a cross over between the BBC TV show "Hex" and Anne Bishop's "Dark Jewels Trilogy." I don't have anything to do with either the show or the book.**_

_**You do sort of have to ready my Hex Fan Fiction "Someone turn me 'round" first because the characters Elizabeth and Lucifer were created in that story and were not part of the TV show.**_

**_It takes place during "Queen of the Shadows" while Jaenelle is holding Court but the trouble hasn't started yet. And it takes place after Chapter 52 of "Someone turn me 'round" but before the very end, obviously. P_****_lease bear with me as I try to mix the two together since many of you might not have seen/read both. It takes place in the "Hex" world and is told a bit more from the "Hex" perspective since I've written other Fan Fiction from that side. _**

**_When I read the Dark Jewels books after_ _writing my Hex Fan Fiction I thought it would be amusing of the two sides met for an evening and I saw some similarities between the Hex characters and the DJT characters. _**

**_I'm not even going to try to write like Anne Bishop!_**

**_Enjoy!_**

* * *

As Cassie settled next to Azazeal on one of their deep red loveseats in the abandoned church they used as there home, she put her head on his shoulder and sighed. It had been a long day. They had hosted the yearly Halloween party, as they did every year, and all of the fallen angels and their assorted lovers and children made for an exhausting but delightful party. It was just after midnight and they had just shooed out the last of them. 

Suddenly, Lucifer appeared in front of them with a mischievous gleam in his eyes and Elizabeth in tow.

"I have something to show you ladies, Azazeal knows, I had forgotten, but then I remembered and tonight's a good night because the veils between worlds are thin, so…"

"What are you taking about?" Cassie sighed again. He didn't answer her, but whirled around, whipping Elizabeth along and put his hand up in the air out in front of him. A small distortion in the air appeared about twenty feet in front of him and in grew until…

Azazeal groaned. "Lucifer, there are some things I think they would prefer not to know."

"Oh, don't be so boring!" He said and dragged Elizabeth to sit next to him on a loveseat next to them. Elizabeth gave Cassie an apologetic look, but Cassie was staring at the…hole in her house. Not quite a hole but more like a window surrounded by mist and looked out on a private garden bathed in moonlight. Elizabeth began to stare too and both women jumped when they saw three people approaching the window and walking straight towards them. They were apparently oblivious to it, but the effect was disconcerting.

There was a lovely young blond haired woman with beautiful sapphire blue eyes that pierced you even from a distance who was flanked be two fierce looking men. One man was dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit and white shirt that rivaled Azazeal's and Lucifer's own standard attire. He had deeply brown skin, was more beautiful than handsome, and had a seductive quality about him that reached through the window and pulled at Cassie and Elizabeth. The other man was a big, strong warrior of a man with large, black wings trailing behind him. He was ruggedly handsome and his body was very impressive, but they could see that he was much more playful than other man as well as more explosive.

"What is this?" Elizabeth asked.

"Just a window into another world, dear. Azazeal, what's it called again? I never paid much attention to it really but…"

Lucifer froze when he saw the look on Azazeal's and Cassie's faces turn serious and frightened respectively. He turned towards the little, harmless window and said, "Ooops!"

* * *

Jaenelle, Daemon, and Lucivar were taking a late night walk in the little interior garden that the Keep. It had begun as a discussion of a few small pieces of Court business but had quickly turned into a silent ramble through the garden on a beautiful night. Daemon, the Black-jeweled Warlord Prince and Consort to the Queen, and Lucivar, the Ebon-Gray-jeweled Warlord Prince and First Escort, were both just thinking how lovely it was to walk with their Queen, a Queen they loved and where honored to serve, in this intimate way, when they unexpectedly found themselves in a completely different location. 

In front of them was no longer the garden path, but four strangers sitting casually in what appeared to be some kind of large stone structure with immensely high ceilings. Lucivar immediately looked back where they had come to find that the garden they had been in was no longer there, while Daemon surveyed their location to develop some kind of strategy. Both Daemon and Lucivar immediately tensed and let their rage build towards the killing edge to be ready for a fight, but Jaenelle had not taken her eyes off of the people in front of them. She smiled and said, "I've dreamt of this!"

_"What do we do, Bastard?"_ Lucivar thought on a spear thread to Daemon.

_"I don't know, Prick."_

* * *

Lucifer leaped up and stepped in front of Elizabeth and Cassie with a gleam in his eyes that Azazeal knew all too well. Azazeal squeezed Cassie's arm and gave her a reassuring smile before rising to stand next to Lucifer who was clearly going to be a problem. 

"Lucifer…" he started but that was as far as he got.

"Mmm, you're a wild brute aren't you, I like it," Lucifer sneered at Lucivar, "and, you seem relatively powerful," he continued, giving Daemon a disdainfully appraising once over, clearly designed to provoke him, "but you," he said grinning seductively at Jaenelle, "you're quite a little bundle of strength, aren't you."

Lucifer took a step forward and immediately Lucivar extended his black, membranous wings and stepped between these strangers and Jaenelle in a balanced battle stance. Daemon threw a Black shield around Jaenelle although she didn't seem to notice or be worried about these males at all.

"Oh, now that was cute, eh, Az? The little sparrow has wings!" Lucifer mocked.

"Yes, I can see that." Azazeal replied evenly.

As if on cue, both of them stripped off their jackets and shirts and sprouted wings: large, white, feathery wings which they stretched wide to dwarf Lucivar's black ones. Lucifer sprung to the air with barely a flick of his gold-flecked wings and a push from the ground, cutting the distance between them in half in a split second. Azazeal rolled his eyes at his friend and, neatly tucking his red and gold wings back, sauntered over to stand next to Lucifer again.

Jaenelle stepped around Lucivar, who grabbed her arm and snarled at her, but she tugged forward a bit and admired the unfamilar angel wings with a childlike glee until Lucifer snapped his behind him in flustered annoyance, though they still framed him in their downy white and gold. She gave him a knowing smile and backed up between Lucivar and Daemon again.

Sensing the growing tension and rage in the men in front of him, Azazeal used his silver-tongue to its full ability and said smoothly and with his most charming smile, "My name is Azazeal, this bully is Lucifer, and behind us are Cassie and Elizabeth. I would like to welcome you to my home. As long as we can all calm our hostility."

Lucivar snarled at him and Daemon eyed him warily but Jaenelle said, "Thank you!"

_"Great! That ass has my name."_ Lucivar thought.

_"Well, not exactly. Let's just see where this goes, shall we?"_ Daemon put his hands in his pockets and adopted the sleepy eyed look that these men had not yet learned to fear but would shortly.

* * *

Daemon focused on Lucifer the tall, muscular, and more ferocious male before him with the gold-flecked wings that were much wider and longer than Lucivar's and even he had to admit were very beautiful. He brushed against his mind and was shocked to find no barrier whatsoever. What he did find however was terrifying enough to make him pull back before discovering much more than that Lucifer's power had no color at all. His power had felt like it was at least equal to that of a Black-jeweled Warlord Prince, at least equal to his own. He appeared to already be at the killing-edge and based on the raw sexual energy coming from him, he appeared to be in rut as well. But then again, there was a calm in this man too, a cold and relaxed assurance that seemed to indicate that he was completely comfortable in this state, used to it, delighted in it and would utterly enjoy the destruction he could cause it a way that even he and Lucivar would not understand. Fortunately, there was apparently something outside of himself holding him in check. Once it released him, however his attack would be wild and devastating. 

Then, Azazeal, the thinner, elegant, and more calculating of the two males with the red and gold accented wings. He did not appear as blazingly powerful as Lucifer, but exuded such control and calculating intelligence that his true capabilities were hard to estimate. His power also had no color but had a disciplined and viscous quality that Lucifer's did not. He would be much more inventive in any attack and seemed to be extremely confident that he could protect the Ladies with little effort, of course, that may be an illusion. He was definitely the dominant male in their group, there was no doubt about that, despite the fact that other male was not acting subordinate to him. But what bothered Daemon the most was that the seductive pull that this man in his voice and eyes was too close to his own, though thankfully Jaenelle seemed to be unaffected.

The blond female now standing behind them still next to the couches an imperious air about her and was perhaps the Queen in this little group, though her lack of familiar psychic sent made this inconclusive. She watched Azazeal intently with both pride and concern. A quick check of her capabilities resulted in confusing information. She was definitely powerful and, though she was not aware of her full strength, she was no match for any of them. She also apparently commanded power that was currently elsewhere. This probably meant other males and witches but it was hard to tell.

The other brown-haired female had remained seated and appeared unconcerned about this situation. Daemon did a cursory scan, which confirmed that she was at the basic Craft level and, based on her obliviousness to the tension in the room, he concluded that she must not be very perceptive. She smiled at him to acknowledge the mental contact, the only one who had, and gave him an appreciative once over with her eyes that threatened to enraged further him except that there was no desire in her eyes. She glanced at Lucivar too, before resting her eyes on Lucifer's back with an affectionate smile.

* * *

Cassie stepped forward and as she attempted to pass Azazeal to greet her guests, he grabbed her arm and jerked her back. Cassie pulled her arm away from him in annoyance. How could he invite them to stay and then rudely keep her from greeting them? She approached Jaenelle and held out her hand to shake, receiving a confused look from the woman. 

"Oh, uh, how to women greet each other in your world?"

Jaenelle considered for a second and then reached out both hands palms down. Cassie, quickly catching on, placed her hands under hers and smiled brightly. She considered offering her a hand to the men standing next to Jaenelle but thought it best to avoid contact considering how tempers were already flaring.

"My name is Jaenelle and these snarling males are Lucivar and Daemon."

"It's, ah, nice to met you all. Why don't you come and sit down and I'll bring some wine. Azazeal, could you bring another couch?" Cassie said moving towards the kitchen.

Azazeal didn't even move but another couch appeared next to the ones they had been relaxing on earlier, so that now there were two loveseats and full sized couch all at right angles to each other, creating a half circle with a coffee table in the middle.

Azazeal stepped aside to allow their guests to move passed them towards the sitting area, but Daemon and Lucivar hesitated to move.

"Oh, stop being so fussy and let's sit down." Jaenelle admonished.

"That's it, baby, swing that heft around!" Lucifer mocked but Jaenelle only smiled at him.

"Lucifer!" the Cassie spat, furiously before Daemon could get out anything sufficiently scathing.

Lucifer glanced at her quickly and actually giggled, not even trying to hide his amusement, while she narrowed her eyes in fury. Elizabeth was still sitting and merely smiled and stifled a laugh of her own.

"I think maybe your Lady wants you to shut your trap, but that's just a guess," Daemon purred. This male was going to be a problem and he wasn't going to let him think that he was the only one who could play this game.

"What she wants does not concern me in the slightest!" Lucifer responded arrogantly, still intently watching Daemon and Lucivar. Cassie turned and began moving towards him, fuming.

"Why do I have the feeling that you're about to feel your Queen's temper?" Daemon smiled.

"Oh, I'm way overdue, aren't I honey? Can't let the whips and chains get dusty, now, can we?" was his defiant reply which was accompanied by a wicked smirk

This remark caused Daemon to bristle in anger at the reminder of the time he himself had spent as a pleasure slave, controlled by the vicious Ring of Obedience and the bite of the lash. Apparently, this male was not yet free of an abusive Queen, but now Daemon could not understand why he was so protective of her.

* * *

Lucifer never failed to annoy Cassie with his quick-witted remarks and playful interference aimed infuriating her. He never listened to a word she said either and made quite merry game of disregarding her requests unless he decided, in a rare act of helpfulness, to assist at his own discretion. He had even once suggested that she was spoiled and too accustomed to all of the other fallen angels obeying her, but Azazeal and Elizabeth both quickly assured her that Lucifer had only been playing with her. 

Cassie was constantly exasperated by Lucifer, and couldn't understand how Elizabeth dealt with him, but had eventually been forced to accept that he actually was quite fond of her. Azazeal had explained to her that ignoring her completely would be the true signifier that Lucifer disliked her. The real problem was that he was conflicted about how to treat Cassie. Azazeal had become the leader of all of the fallen angels, despite the fact that Lucifer was more powerful, and as Azazeal's lover, Cassie had become mother and, in a way, Queen of all of the fallen angels. So, though his attention towards Cassie was annoying, it indicated a certain level of respect. Lucifer was just simply incapable of obeying anyone but Elizabeth and would never allow anyone else the slightest influence over him. Luckily for Cassie, Lucifer's was not naturally inclined to lead and had the selfish nature common to all of the fallen angels which made him not in the least bit interested in setting Elizabeth up as a ruler of anyone other than himself. He was also generally satisfied with the respect that the other angels paid to Elizabeth already, despite his flares of temper when they got to close. Cassie would just have to work through Elizabeth.

"Elizabeth!" Cassie hissed as she stopped moving towards Lucifer once she remembered the futility of it.

* * *

Elizabeth could tell this wasn't just Cassie's usual annoyance at Lucifer's behavior. Elizabeth had been doing what she thought was best by staying as calm and unafraid as she could so as not to trigger a violent response from Lucifer. However, in Elizabeth's efforts to let Lucifer be Lucifer and handle this on his own, she had not noticed him slowly collecting himself to attack. He was tense, very tense, and she realized that he was coiled to spring into action in a flash but he was also uncertain. These people must be a greater threat than she realized or at least be of un-known capabilities for him to react like this because he was never protective in this way. Being as strong as he was made the idea of defending her almost ridiculous because a nasty look from him could generally send the evilest of creatures crawling away in terror. 

"Lucifer," she crooned rose from the couch and walked over next to him. At this his intent stare at Daemon and Lucivar flickered briefly and his whole body relaxed slightly, which Daemon noted with interest.

"Let's not start a fight, shall we?" She continued, now standing next to him.

He turned towards her with a playfully innocent smile and replied, "Who me?" and winked at his adversaries. Lucifer did not back down when she approached as she had expected, but rather positioned himself between her and their guests. It then occurred to Elizabeth that his antics had been aimed at keeping their attention on him and away from herself and Cassie. And if he was uncertain of their power, he might also be worried that deadly force may be necessary if they attacked. She had told him never to kill and he was probably troubled by the fact that he might have to disobey her to protect her. Cassie was right, she was going to have to do something to calm him down.

Not wanting to take any chances, Elizabeth pulled Lucifer's head towards her and, reaching up to him, locked his mouth in a deep kiss.

* * *

Azazeal was not happy about Lucifer's behavior either but he knew that there was nothing he could do about it, so he was glad when Elizabeth took charge of him. Now all he had to do, and he was oh-so-good-at-this, was defuse the situation. He knew enough about these people to know that their tempers ran high and they were very dangerous, but he also knew that protecting Jaenelle was their biggest concern, so the sooner they could began to understand each other the better off everyone would be. 

He did suppose, however, that he couldn't blame Lucifer for his agitation, but his overreaction was forcing Azazeal face what was really allowing him to remain calm in this situation. It wasn't entirely the fact that Azazeal was made to protect and this was natural to him. It was that he would not have the same reaction to losing Cassie that Lucifer would have to losing Elizabeth. Azazeal was terrified of losing Cassie and he knew the kind of emotional pain it would bring, but while he would cry, and despair, and hurt, and be forever scarred, he would not collapse into a ball of agony and punish himself for her loss for the rest of his existence. He would eventually recover and move on…and he would hate himself for it.

Despite this, or maybe because of it, Azazeal was better protection from this threat than his friend. He could see clearly and he knew how to deal with these people if Lucifer would just shut up!

* * *

Lucivar and Daemon watched as the aggressive male was forcefully kissed by one of the females who was apparently holding his controlling ring. He tried to move towards her but she held him back with a delicate hand and he shuddered three separate times with increasing intensity. Lucivar curled his lip in disgust at this kiss that was clearly being given to cover up the cries of pain that should be coming from this poor male as the Ring of Obedience was used to control him. The witch pulled away then, turned back towards them, but Lucifer, continued to stare at her probably in rage at such treatment. Lucivar and Daemon glanced at each other in slight concern. They didn't like this male but seeing him try to fight with the witch holding his controlling ring would not necessarily be enjoyable. Noticing their look the witch looked back at Lucifer. She smiled kindly and indicated with a gesture of her head that he should turn back towards their "guests." The male smiled back and almost seemed to laugh at himself before looking back at them. They were shocked to find that not only was there no hint of the rage in his eyes that they had expected, but the glint of challenge was gone as well. Both were replaced with a calm watchfulness. The witch stood beside him and smiled at them with an irritating friendliness that seemed like arrogance in light of what she had just done. 

Daemon could not leash the rage that was swelling in him on Lucifer's behalf, even though this male was not particularly likable. Seeing him so quickly and savagely "quieted" when he was only trying to do his job was not something that Daemon was prepared to ignore now that he had the freedom to act against such things. He sent out a phantom hand to teach this little witch a lesson and to his shock, it was quickly thrown back at him. Lucifer snatched her arm, pulled her towards him, and in a quick flutter she was surrounded from the sholders down by his wing tips. His eyes were cold with anger now and Daemon saw that whatever calm the witch had brought him to was now completely gone.

It struck Daemon that Lucifer's protectiveness had all been for this witch and not the one who appeared to be the Queen. He carefully sent out a physic tendril to re-evaluate her strength and was surprised to confirm his prior assessment that she seemed to only posses the equivalent of the most basic Craft. It didn't seem possible that a female witch with such little power could get such strong male to bond with her, but then again Lucivar's wife was just a hearth witch.

The witch began gently stroking the top edge of one his wings and he calmed down a little, but not enough for Daemon's liking.

_"You shouldn't have done that" _Jaenelle thought to Daemon.

_"Obviously!"_

_"I would have though you would recognize a witch trying to handle a distressed male."_

_"But she used a Ring on him."_

_"Somehow I don't think it was the Ring that he was responding to"_ she replied with a slightly embarrassed smile.

* * *

With relatively little difficulty, everyone got themselves arraigned on the three couches in a very strategic manner. Jaenelle was on the larger couch still surrounded by Daemon and Lucivar. On Daemon's right, at a 90 degree angle and a respectful distance, was the loveseat with Azazeal and Cassie and on Luviar's left was Lucifer and Elizabeth. Both Azazeal and Lucifer had vanished their wings and put their shirts back on and Cassie had brought out a few bottles of wine and glasses for everyone, which she filled and passed around, but no one drank. 

"Let me start by saying," Azazeal started in his cool, confident style as soon as everyone settled, "that I used to spend a lot of time observing your world so…"

"What would you know about our world?" Lucivar growled.

"I know about the Jewels that determine your strength in the Craft, I know that the Queens take care of the land, and I know that the males serve them."

"Well, then, that about covers everything, doesn't it?" Lucivar snorted haughtily.

"Aren't you the least bit curious how I know these things and…"

"No!"

"I am," Jaenelle interjected.

Daemon and Lucivar both glared at her for her enthusiasm and leashed their desire to kill these strangers and find their way home. But as Azazael began to speak they found themselves actually listening to him and…wanting to trust him. Of course, this initially set off warning bells that were also quickly silenced as he continued to speak….


	2. Chapter 2

As Azazeal spoke, he reveled in the attention. He was made for this, for gaining trust, for teaching mortals, for guiding them to greater understanding, as well as protecting them from evil influences. He had failed and had been corrupted by Lucifer but all these thousand of years later, he had found a life that often reminded him of the real uses for the talents that the Creator had given him.

"In the beginning," he paused and tried to stifle the innocent laugher that was bubbling up at this start to his story, "there was, I don't supposed you have a concept of God…well, there was a Creator, a being that would create everything. This Creator created beings made of spirit, angels like Lucifer and myself, to serve Him and to love Him perfectly. And then He created this world we find ourselves in now with mortals like Cassie and Elizabeth, who are much like yourselves. For reasons we will not get into, the creation of this world caused some of the angels, Lucifer in particular, to fall from the Creator's grace. The Creator willed the abyss into existence as a place outside His presence in to which to put Lucifer and the other fallen angels. Out of this creation, your world was spawned, for the acts of the Creator often generate ripples of existence that develop into new creations."

"We angels are part of the mythology of this world and so we may exist here, however your world, though near to where the fallen angels were exiled, is not open to us. The fallen have watched your world and observed your triumphs and struggles but we have never interacted as we do here. However, you are part of the Creator's creation so no doubt He watches over you as He watches over the people of this world."

Jaenelle took this all in as if it made perfect sense while Daemon and Lucivar's heads began to ache.

"And how did the fallen angels get out of their exile in the abyss and end up here?"

"It is a long and complicated story, but I will tell you that I had been created to protect mortals from the evil influences of Lucifer, who had become angry at his abandonment and sought to corrupt them, and to teach them things that the Creator wanted them to know. I was corrupted by Lucifer and by my love of the mortals and I fell too. Eventually, I was chosen by the fallen to come here and fulfill a prophecy that would free us all from the loneliness and torture of the abyss at the expense of the mortals. But I fell in love with Cassie and refused to let the prophecy be fulfilled. Then I realized that Cassie was the key for me to existing in this world comfortably. You see, all angels have a purpose and talents given to them by the Creator and if they are not able to use them… it is emotional uncomfortable. It was that pain that we sought to ease by escaping from the abyss." Azazeal paused here and smiled at Cassie.

"My love for Cassie and her acceptance of my nature has helped me and we in turn helped all of the other fallen angels to find a person or a purpose that suits them. But it is difficult because the depths of the angelic experience are greater even than the extremes of joy and rage that the people in your world feel."

"And Lucifer?" Jaenelle asked.

"Lucifer was the first, most powerful, and most glorious of all of the angels and he was created only…to love and obey. But he's not very good at it any more, is he Cassie?"

There was a little bit too much amusement in the last statement and Lucifer, whose face had been blank, and gave Azazeal a quick glare that was met by an arrogant smile.

Jaenelle felt a spark of understanding of this strange man because if his purpose was to blindly obey…

"So you became a pleasure slave," Jaenelle said as a half statement, half question, not yet able to see beyond the constructs of her own world or his prior comment about whips and chains.

Lucifer looked over to her and then a naughty smile spread across his face replacing the seriousness.

"Oh ab-so-LUTE-ly!" Lucifer said dragging out the word and licking his lips at Jaenelle, "I'm not good for much else, am I sweetie?"

Jaenelle went on, "And you were the Ring of Obedience?"

"I wear no ring," he quickly replied with irritation. Elizabeth smiled to herself at this because of the insults Lucifer had leveled at Cassie and Azazeal when they had started to wear gold rings around their fingers to show their commitment to each other, only to later ask her if he himself should wear a ring for her.

"But it sounds kinky," Lucifer added with smirk recovering from his annoyance.

Without warning, Lucifer ran psychic fingers through Lucivar and Daemon's minds and found an explanation of the Ring and its uses as well as details regarding the life of a pleasure slave. Both Lucivar and Daemon snarled and Lucivar unleashed a directed burst of Ebon-gray power at him that had no effect and which Lucifer ignored completely, although inside Lucifer's terror flared up only to be savagely squashed back down. Daemon glanced at Lucivar and was not comforted by the fear and rage he saw in his brother's eyes.

"Mmm, very kinky indeed," Lucifer said but his tone had changed to a more serious one that lacked amusement. He seemed quieted by this new information about their world.

Jaenelle silently glared Daemon and Lucivar into backing down and they were forced to fight any further urges to attack Lucifer, but Daemon was itching to try in order to somehow prove to himself that he could protect Jaenelle against this man.

"I wear no such Ring and my duties, while sometimes similar, are entirely…voluntary." Lucifer finished with a new wicked grin, delight replacing the quick flash of sympathy that had been in his eyes, making it clear that even the painful part of their service as pleasure slaves was not beyond exciting him.

"How can you enjoy it?" Lucivar spat, no longer thinking about the fact that his burst of power had had no effect on Lucifer.

"He's exaggerating," Elizabeth interjected, not needing to read their minds to have an idea of what a pleasure slave in their world might be subjected to and that Lucifer was offending them, "I apologize! You really must excuse him. You have gotten him all worked up. He is my lover…"

"Oh, I'm more than that," Lucifer interjected in a low seductive rumble.

…"and although he's the most powerful being in this world…"

"Universe, honey."

"…right, well, he likes to think of himself as a sex toy."

"YOUR sex toy, dear."

"Exactly!" Elizabeth confirmed with laughing smile and then added in a lower voice, "I use you for more than that."

"Sometimes," he replied with amusement.

Daemon and Lucivar inspected him carefully wondering if he really was exaggerating and, if he wasn't, how he could possibly enjoy that kind of treatment.

"I thought you said you'd behave," Elizabeth said, turning to Lucifer, who was grinning as if he was still thinking about his duties as a sex toy, and there was something in her voice that hinted that she was using more than words to communicate with him.

To Daemon's surprise, Lucifer immediately softened and turned to her with a look of loving attention completely opposite from his prior naughty amusement.

"Of course," he said softly as he practically crawled into her lap, wrapped his arms around her, and began kissing her neck. She disentangled him gently and when their eyes meet, his body tensed and he froze. His eyes widened slightly and his breath became very deep and slow. He let out a small moan that was almost a whimper and then his face settled in a serene look and he became silent, entirely focused on her.

Azazeal, knowing immediately what was happening, cocked his head and closed his eyes for a second before Cassie punched him in the arm and said, "Don't listen!"

"He was always so much better at it than me," he replied quietly.

"No…he's not," Cassie said with such conviction and annoyance that Azazeal smiled proudly to himself.

"What is it?" Jaenelle asked suddenly. She was facing him but her eyes were looking inward.

"You can feel it?" Azazeal asked. Jaenelle nodded but he could tell she could only barely catch it.

"It's like when she kissed him earlier…but…"

Azazeal smiled at her broadly, "He loves her. And because forceful orders from her tend to produce a…passionate response from him, she used the kiss earlier to control his reaction to her order to calm down." He paused.

"Our angelic language is a very intimate form of communication and is expressed in more than words. His body doesn't show it this time because…it doesn't know what to do...but there is a piece of the Creator that exists it all of the mortals, perhaps in your people too, and she has found a way to show that part of herself to him at will. Voila, instant angel! Though it's much more impressive if you're the focus of it. What you can feel but not see is that his being is performing the intricate display of joy and love for her that used to be his constant existence while he was in the presence of the Creator. Before he fell."

"He existed like that…no wonder he gets cranky in this world!"

"Yes, well, Elizabeth helps him as much as she can."

While they had been talking, Elizabeth had lowered her eyes and released Lucifer. She had said something out loud to him in another language that had made the Cassie smile and Lucifer had started to respond in the same foreign language. Elizabeth had put her hand to his face and, interrupted him with a smile saying, "Yes, I know." He had appeared to want to say much more, but he just swayed a bit, as if stopping a rush of emotion, and then apparently, in response to some unspoken order, he had sat back in his prior spot but had claimed Elizabeth's hand as his reward. His eyes were calm again but prowling behind the calm was the fire of desire.

* * *

For his part, Lucifer was grateful for Elizabeth's second assertion of her control over him, taking him to a deeper level of submission, but he knew that it wouldn't last long. He was still too confused and enraged by the thought of Elizabeth being in harm's way to act responsibly. The threat of the pain and madness he knew would come if he lost her was terrifying. Although he had worked his magic to ensure that she would not age or be mortally damaged easily, she was not invincible. 

When she had kissed him earlier, she had only asked him to be calm, to listen to her, to let her decide if killing were necessary. He had responded with thoughts of love and obedience in beautifully phrased mental angelic, accompanied by the ecstasy and trembling that always went with expressing such things in his natural language. He was little more enthusiastic than was necessary as his agitation had wanted an outlet, but Elizabeth had kept him from losing himself in it.

He felt better now that she taken more complete control of him by showing him the part of her that he considered to be his goddess and promising him that he would be allowed to fully unleash the desire that had flared up to worship her later. He wasn't exactly happy that he needed her assistance to remain calm but she would not judge him for it. She understood that he was not always capable of the kind of self-control that she usually expected of him and this was an extenuating circumstance. He would have normally killed them all out-right and taken pleasure in it, so it had to be worth something that he hadn't. He trusted her and was willing to regard the strangers in front of him as nothing more than interesting guests who would only become more than that at Elizabeth's command…or if they attacked. His apparent calm would have no effect on his reaction time.

Of course, what he really wanted to do was change into a silky black panther, rub against her legs purring to her in contentment and then eventually curl up at her feet with a protective growl. But that new little trick would have to wait because he knew that right now she would not be as amused by it as she usually was.

The lust and desire that was holding back his wild fear that Elizabeth would be harmed would get the better of him soon, but for now he would obey.

* * *

"I think we should change our arrangement" Jaenelle announced suddenly, "Why don't the Ladies take the large couch and you boys can pair up on the others?" 

In unison, the men pursed their lips in annoyance and did not budge.

"I think that's a wonderful idea," Cassie chimed in, while Elizabeth merely smiled and nodded.

Azazeal and Lucifer rose first, followed by Daemon and Lucivar. Each hovered protectively over their Ladies for a moment before moving to switch couches. Azazeal and Lucivar ended up together, leaving Daemon to glare at Lucifer before they settled next to each other.

The Ladies were quickly chattering away about nonsense and since the couches were far enough away from each other for quiet private conversation, the boys eventually gave in to the urge to question their neighbor.

* * *

"Well, you certainly seem attached to her" Daemon said with an amused sneer, seeing if he could provoke him again, "What exactly is your relationship?" 

Lucifer responded calmly but firmly, "I am her lover, her warrior, her servant, her angel, her hu…"

Lucifer stopped here because he was still confused about the concept of husband. He wanted to use the word to describe himself because its meaning did apply in many respects, however mortals were very specific about using the term only when a marriage ceremony had somehow been performed. Cassie and Azazeal had considered themselves husband and wife since they had exchanged rings and announced it to the angels. But Lucifer hated the idea of the meaningless ceremony in front of witnesses who already knew they were committed to each other with worthless rings made from the scraps of creation. And yet if Elizabeth had given him a ring to wear and told him he was her husband, he would have worn it proudly and honored the title.

"And she is everything," Lucifer finally finished with such certainty that Daemon was convinced that it was true, even if it was only true for Lucifer. He also hadn't missed the hesitation at the word that he assumed was going to be "husband," but he let it go for now.

"And a pleasure slave too? That's a lot for one man to handle."

"Oh, I am utterly at her mercy," he grinned in a unexpectedly sociable way, "but then again, she is often at mine."

Daemon couldn't resist, "And she hurts you, does she?"

"Only when I deserve it," he grinned, a little wickedness creeping in. He paused as Daemon looked at him curiously, "Ah, but you see, it's just so wonderfully fun to let people come to their own conclusion about the horrible things she might do to me. Especially when they all know that no matter what they come up with, I would let her do it." Lucifer chuckled at Daemon's stunned face.

"I surrender and I trust, Daemon, just like you."

There was a seriousness in his voice that gave Daemon a glimpse of what Elizabeth must already know about him. Lucifer was telling a stark and shocking truth and yet not the whole truth. There was also genuine affection and tenderness between them that he was hiding behind his blatant sexuality, protecting it from prying eyes, by describing their relationship only in the harshest of terms and emphasizing the extremes to which he would go for her. While the truth was that they were deeply in love with each other. Before Daemon could ask another question, Lucifer continued as if they were now best friends.

"Oh, and you should appreciate the fact that Elizabeth can be kind of like the Sadist in the bedroom only there is sensuality in it instead of cruelty. And that makes all the difference." Lucifer said, the naughty amusement back in his eyes.

"The difference?"

"Pain was used to abuse and humiliate you but it was used to tame me," he said with a slightly cocky smile, "And I needed to be tamed. After my fall from heaven, I was so confused and hurt that I became more viscous and cruel than your Dorothea." Daemon cringed at her name and then became shocked by the realization that Lucifer had picked up a lot more information from his mind than he had thought.

"But then I fell in love with Elizabeth and I wanted to serve her, I wanted to obey again, but I was not emotionally capable of surrendering to her completely, not that she could have accepted it at the time. So, I tried to get her to give me things to do that would please her while I tried to figure out how to exist with a human woman as my …," he stopped, unable to express it, he shook his head and went on.

"She discovered how to sensuously mix pleasure and pain and tease me until I would agree to anything, which was obviously helpful in deterring my evil tendencies. I began to surrender little things to her and then once I trusted that she would not abandon me if I displeased her as my Creator had done…," Lucifer finished with a shrug and slight shake of his head.

"Now, my love for her is such that surrender and submission are merely tokens and pain is just part of our considerable sexual repertoire."

From a misplaced since of openness, Lucifer gave Daemon some images of what their sexual repertoire included. Some made Daemon smile, some made him shudder, and some aroused him, but all of them had that sensuality that Lucifer had mentioned before. Either of them could be anything from masterfully dominant to completely submissive and they clearly were not shy about pleasing each other in the bedroom.

Daemon could not keep himself from looking uncomfortable but now he had a perfect example of what Azazeal had referred to as the depths of the angelic experience. Lucifer was continuously trying to give himself to Elizabeth and since her small needs and desires did not scratch the surface of what he was capable of, he sometimes expanded what he provided by coming up with "gifts" of his own. Because of what he was, Lucifer would not flinch from offering things inside and outside of the bedroom that would have made even the Sadist a bit unnerved.

"I belong to her," Lucifer continued causally, "my entire being is at her command, and I cannot exist with out her. I will always rush to please her no matter what the request: whether it's just fetching some trivial item from the other side of this world or influencing an entire continent of people. And when she has any need, I fuss, and hover, and dote, and pester until she let's me fulfill it. But, then, you should see me, after I come back from doing her will," he shuddered, "I can no longer hide my pride and, uh…excitement," he grinned again and licked his lips, "This was all very disconcerting for her at first, but it is what I am. Of course it took her long enough to understand and accept this, so I can hardly expect you to understand it at all."

"I think I do," Daemon responded quietly.

Lucifer inspected him, "Maybe you do…in your way."

After a pause Lucifer added, "Your Lady will understand with time. Love can sometimes reach depths that its focus cannot understand or accept immediately. But you cannot ignore the fact that she had always been different from everyone else, an outcast. She will not just open herself up to you at your touch. How is she to know that at any moment she might not do something that will cause you to abandon her? She needs to learn to trust again and you will have to teach her."

Daemon had just begun to digest this when Lucifer suddenly, rose and flowed over to Elizabeth, depositing himself next to her on the arm of the couch with his eyes full of blatant lust. He leaned towards her with a naughty smile and licked her ear before whispering a brief but graphic description of exactly what he wanted her to do to him when they got home. To her credit Elizabeth blushed only slightly but it deepened when she realized that everyone else had heard and he whined, "Please," in her ear to provoke her further. She glanced at Cassie with a small smile and then set her face in an amused but arrogant mask.

Turning to him she said, "Well, since you don't seem able to behave yourself, I don't see why…"

Lucifer interrupted her, pressing his lips to her ear again, and continued in a harsh whisper that was now serious and pleading, "And when you're done with my body, command me surrender everything else…and as I offer myself up to you, trembling in devotion and naked adoration…run your fingers through my helplessness and know that I am yours."

"Will you make another window so that our guests can return home?" she asked evenly and quietly.

He rose but did not take his eyes from her. He raised a hand and casually gestured back towards where the window had been before and it reopened. The wine bottles and glasses repositioned themselves on the side tables. And then his hands were immediately on her as he drew her up carefully and laying back on the coffee table, pulled her on top of him.

Cassie was just about to scream at them when they disappeared.

"Thank God!" She exclaimed and Azazeal suppressed a laugh. Daemon and Lucivar also stifled a laugh because they didn't need to understand to concept of God to grasp the gist of her exclamation.

"Will she really…?"

"Oh, yes!" Cassie responded to Jaenelle's unfinished question, "Don't doubt it for a second."

Jaenelle gave Daemon a curious and innocent look as if she might ask him to explain the things that Lucifer had said and he thought that he might faint.

"Sweetheart, shouldn't we be getting back?" he managed.

"No, I have more questions."

Lucivar and Daemon exchanged anguished glances and then Daemon leapt up to prowl around the church and inspect the window back to their world.

* * *

_**Let me know if you think I should continue!**_


	3. Chapter 3

Lucivar and Azazeal's conversation took a little longer to get started as Lucivar was more interested in surveying the angles in the room and choosing a potential battleground in the event of a fight. Their conversational was also was much less personal and more strategic.

"Is there any information you would like to assist in your plans for our destruction?" Azazeal asked mildly.

"You certainly have a way about you don't you?" Lucivar grumbled as he had almost started to ask Azazeal questions about the layout of the rooms and whether any other people were expected to arrive.

"Well, I was created to guide and encourage trust" Azazeal asked smoothly, "It's only natural that you should want to trust and listen to me."

"And yet you still enrage me! It's fascinating!" Lucivar growled obviously angry with himself that he bothered to listen to Azazeal at all.

"Lucivar, let's come to an understanding, shall we? Neither you nor your brother, or Jaenelle for that matter, will be able to harm me. I'm pure spirit and this body is merely my spirit condensed into physical form. I cannot be separated from my power and I have no mind for you to break. You might be able to toss me around a bit and maybe inflict some pain but since this body is not a body…"

Lucivar glared at him in pure hatred, but Azazeal continued undaunted and met Lucivar's glare with amusement, "Now, it is also unlikely that I will be able to harm any of you, other than purely physically of course. What power I do have pales in comparison to Lucifer's and his power lies in the manipulation of creation. Even he may not be able to manipulate and harm your being, despite the fact that he can obviously access your mind rather easily and can absorb a burst of power from you, because he had no hand in the creation of your world."

Lucivar was listening with more interest now.

"Cassie and Elizabeth however…they are fragile…" here Azazeal paused and actually looked afraid for a moment before his casual smile returned.

"Why would you tell me this? Why would you point out their weakness?" Lucivar demanded.

Azazeal inspected him closely and then his face became fierce and slightly condescending, "I will not let you harm Cassie."

Lucivar felt a bit silly now because he realized that Azazeal was going out of his way to tell him that Cassie and Elizabeth were the only people in the room who needed protection. And by pointing out the Ladies' precarious position he was extending a kind of olive branch. How was it that Azazeal would know that this was a perfect way to touch on Lucivar's instinct to protect the feminine?

"And what is very important for you to understand about me," Azazeal continued, "is that my first instinct, like yours, it to protect rather than to obey, so I am far more dangerous than Lucifer, who would never kill without Elizabeth's…"

They were then interrupted by Lucifer's antics with Elizabeth. When they were gone Lucivar watched Daemon wander around the room for a while before turning back to Azazeal.

* * *

As Daemon paced around the room, the things that Lucifer had said to him coalesced into the beginnings of meaning. _She will not just open herself to your touch. You will have to teach her to trust you._

Since she had fully healed his mind, the relationship between Warlord Prince and Queen had become strong. She listened to his opinions, she respected his knowledge, and she treated him as a valued member of her Court. She had even let him into her bed now…ah, but there it was. She was not as hesitant to accept his attentions and the pleasure that he could provide…and yet she was still shy about approaching him as if…

Could it be possible that she still didn't trust him? Well, he was not about to allow that to continue.

And then the things that Lucifer had shown him, the sexual acts, began to play on his mind, certain ones lingering in his head more often than others, and he tried to fend them off. This wasn't the time for…

And then he saw it. It terrified and thrilled him beyond anything he'd ever thought of. Could he really? Was he capable? Would she understand what it meant for him to…?

Of course, she would understand. After their first time together, she had asked him, to his horror, what he had meant when he had said that he wanted his first time to be in a bed.

"Haven't you done all this before?" she had asked shyly, not telling him that Surreal had told her that he was a virgin but that it hadn't really made sense to her.

"I..." he had started, "I have done many, many things, sweetheart, but…the one of the few things I was able to keep from them…" he looked away and then back at her, "the rest of my body was theirs but…"

"Your maleness you kept for yourself," she said almost reaching out a hand to touch him there but then pulling back. He couldn't see her hand but felt the movement under the sheets. He watched her as she considered this and then she smiled shyly to herself and snuggled up to him.

He had thought that she had been too distracted by her own pleasure to notice that his own experience had been overwhelming as well, but she had noticed and she had even cared enough to ask about it. And then he realized that it wasn't only her reluctance to trust that was holding her back, it was that she was trying to protect him, trying not to use him as Dorothea and those other horrible women had done. Well, the idea that she was anything like those women was even less acceptable than her hesitance to trust him!!

But could he show her that he trusted her and possibly gain her trust in return? He wanted to, but was he capable? Or was he too used up to… No, he would surrender everything and he would do exactly what those particular images from Lucifer had suggested.

He would lead her to their bed and stretch out on it naked and inviting, pulling her towards him with only his eyes. When she joined him, he would kiss her gently and touch her teasingly to encourage her to explore him. He would lay back and let the feel of her touch engulf him, opening his inner barriers to let her mind brush against his. He would let her watch him as he writhed and moaned in pleasure at her attentions. He would guide her hands and mouth to increase his pleasure, showing her how to tear at his control. He would obey her as she moved his body this way and that to allow her fingers to travel innocently over every…single…inch of his flesh. And he would let her sheath him when she was ready, instead of doing it for her, let her set the pace and take them both to the ecstasy that awaited them.

And she would know that he did this not for his own gratification, though he was sure it would be pleasurable, but out of love and out of trust. Because it was one thing to give pleasure and another to take pleasure…and yet another thing all together to accept pleasure and surrender yourself to it in a way that honored the lover who gave it.

* * *

"He's got a mouth on him doesn't he!" Lucivar finally said with a laugh to Azazeal after Lucifer and Elizabeth disappeared. 

"Yes, he does." Azazeal responded ruefully.

"I will not harm your Queen." Lucivar said gruffly but honestly, taking Azazeal's manner as worry that the more powerful Lucifer was gone and that Cassie was now more at risk.

Azazeal caught the reason behind Lucivar's statement but only smiled and said, "Thank you!"

"So, you have never been to our world?" Lucivar asked figuring that he should now pass the time getting information since clearly Jaenelle had no intention of leaving.

"No, we could only watch from the edges of the abyss. But it gave us something to do while we weren't causing trouble here. I was particularly fascinated and I spent a lot of time learning about your different cultures and the interaction between males and females."

"Do you know where the jewels come from?" Lucivar asked suddenly.

"No, I didn't notice your world until much later."

After a break in conversation, during which Lucivar had again been watching Daemon pace and had been listening in on Cassie and Jaenelle's conversation, Lucivar said, "Cassie is your Queen and your wife, but I heard her say that you command the other angels."

"The society in this world is different, but I suppose in the way you understand things she is my Queen. And I…I must serve her in my way, but while the fallen do obey her, I am their leader."

Azazeal was not like Lucifer in his willingness to discuss his relationship with the mortal woman who fulfilled his needs as an angel. He preferred to keep his love and passion for her to himself even though when these people had gone he would also indulge the urge to feel the comforting presence of the divine in her and respond with the same fervent worship and Lucifer was no doubt in the grip of at this very moment.

"You can manipulate this world?"

"Angels have similar powers to your own. We can move objects, send blasts of physic power, sense some thoughts and feelings, and we have knowledge of hidden things, but our real power lies in the talents we were given for our particular purpose. I have…I suppose charisma is the best way to describe it, and I have talents similar to yours as a skilled warrior. Lucifer can manipulate creation because he was one of the Creator's instruments."

"What can he do?"

Azazeal smiled and knew that there was no way to explain exactly what Lucifer was capable of, which is what Lucivar would want to know, but he thought of an example that would help to illustrate his power.

"Did you see the star-shaped jewel necklace that Elizabeth was wearing?"

Lucivar nodded.

"Lucifer made that diamond, he created the raw, uncut stone out of its base elements. He made a perfect diamond that would probably never exist in the natural course of creation and gave it to the jeweler to cut and set."

Lucivar tried not to look impressed and then asked with a challenge gleam in his eyes, "Do you want a chance to take on a real Eyrien warrior?"

Azazeal smiled arrogantly and gracefully rose slipping off his coat and placing it neatly over the back of the couch. Lucivar rose with his own arrogant smile and soon Cassie, Jaenelle, and Daemon were all comparing the similarity of their arrogance and collectively hoping that they didn't damage anything in their tussle. But it didn't take long for the ladies to realize that the boys were more interested in measuring their skills than in hurting one another, and so they proceeded to ignore them and continue their conversation while Daemon settled on a couch again to watch the show.


	4. Chapter 4

When the girls had separated themselves from the boys, they made quick work of obtaining the essential information about each other's world. Cassie described her world's society: most mortals were ladens and unaware that fallen angels lived among them, men typically were in charge and ruled governments, women tended to be more of the silent strength behind the men but men and women were relatively equal in status. Janelle described the jewels, the male and female castes systems, the role of the Queen and the males who served her, and how the ladens interacted with the Blood. She told them that Daemon was her lover (blushing a bit as she did so) and that Lucivar was her First Escort. She then went on to explain the corruption of Terreille and her childhood as a feared outsider.

It was strange to her to find herself telling them all this, but seeing them listen to her with rapt attention made her open up in a way that she had never done with anyone in her own world.

When she had finished by expressing her pain at being to different from everyone else, Cassie said as encouragingly as she could, "Welcome to the club, honey, we're all a bit weird here! And you have a standing invitation to come here and be as strange as you like because I can't image you causing anymore problems than dear old Lucifer."

Jaenelle beamed at this and she couldn't explain why but somehow this offer of open hospitably from these strange women soothed the part of her that had felt like an outcast her whole life. Of course what neither she nor Cassie (nor Elizabeth for that matter) knew was that Cassie and Elizabeth both had access to the powers of their angelic lovers, who in typical angelic secrecy had agreed never to tell them. Cassie was faintly exuding Azazeal's ability to cultivate trust and Jaenelle was happily caught up in it.

Janelle now turned to Elizabeth and inquired about the troublesome Lucifer, apologizing and explaining at the same time about Daemon's attempt to harm Elizabeth.

"He is a being that requires…well a master, really," Elizabeth said. "He tends to get frustrated and sometimes dangerous when he must act on his own because he was never meant to do anything but obey the Creator. I won't let him rely on me completely though because there is part of him that relishes the freedom and I love that part of him, but as you could see tonight, he cannot always be allowed to act on his own."

"And you punish him with physical pain?" Jaenelle asked simply. Elizabeth flinched at the question and the plainness with which it was phrased.

"I have," she said quietly, "But only when he turns towards evil and that doesn't happen anymore. The evil was always just to get attention and once he fell in love with me he wanted my attention. Everything about Lucifer is exaggerated so, sometimes it would take a forceful and dramatic action from me to persuade him that I cared enough to make him obey me when he was wild with fear that I might lose interest and he would be alone again. He was making me prove that I was strong enough, that I loved him enough, although he didn't really know what he was doing at the time and neither did I."

After a little pause, Cassie added playfully, "But you're not being entirely honest because I know for a fact that your little sex toy still likes it rough."

Elizabeth smiled guiltily and then in a sad tone said, "Once he discovered what forgiveness felt like, he got bit obsessed. Him doing evil made me angry enough to punish him which lead to his submission....which lead to my forgiving him. Pain equaled forgiveness for him for quite a while but now he gives it out of love....he can do that."

Elizabeth finished in a low, almost embarrassed, tone and has lifted her eyes to see Jaenelle's reaction when Lucifer sat beside her and licked her ear…

* * *

"I have dreamt of this place," Janelle said to Cassie when Elizabeth had left with Lucifer, "Not here but another world different from ours and I thought I was crazy."

"Well, obviously not!" Cassie laughed. "But see, I've had several years to get used to the fact that strange and fascinating things happen around angels so I don't get nearly as shocked as I used to."

"Tell me about Azazeal," Jaenelle said, "He's is your lover?"

"Yes, he is my lover and my angel," Cassie said fondly, "Like Lucifer, he had a purpose that was taken from him when he fell and now he serves me. But he was created to act on his own and lead, protect, and teach, so he doesn't have Lucifer's problems. What he needs is a more subtle form of guidance. He must have an overall mission or goal that he will put into action but that needs to come from me."

"And what about the other angels? Are they yours or his?"

"Azazeal is the leader of the fallen angels. I'm more like their mother who keeps them out of trouble or helps them get out of it when they invariably do something problematic. Elizabeth and my son, Malachi, help out too because sometimes they need to hear it from someone else to get it into their heads." Cassie smiled in mock annoyance.

"I never wanted to lead," Jaenelle said, quietly, "but I am what I am and no one else will be able to save Kaaleer."

"I know how you feel," Cassie said sympathetically, "well not exactly, but…It took both me and Elizabeth some time to accept the roles that Azazeal, Lucifer, and the rest of the fallen angels wanted us to play. But it was worth it, if it helps you at all to know that."

Janelle smiled at Cassie and then both of them turned to see Lucivar and Azazeal moving towards an open area to challenge each other. After a brief moment of concern, the girls realized that the boys were just playing and they started to resume their discussion, but they were soon drawn to the display of fighting skill.

* * *

"Weapons?" Lucivar asked with delight in his eyes.

"I think hand to hand would be better and…let's try not to ruin the furniture," Azazeal replied smoothly.

"Fine," Lucivar said, leaping at Azazael as he spoke.

But when he got to Azazeal, the angel was no longer there. Giving a snarl of rage, Lucivar whirled to find Azazeal behind him and swiftly lunged to attack again. Azazeal disappeared and this game continued a few more times before, upon reappeared Azazeal was met with a burst of Black power that sent him hurtling across the length of the church and slamming into a wall in the distance.

Daemon tried to look innocent but Jaenelle was not fooled. She didn't have a chance to yell at him because Azazael was back again laughing and complaining that he was going to have to get Lucifer to fix that wall.

"You're cheating," Lucivar accused but he was stifling a laugh.

"Of course," Azazeal replied deviously, "But I'm ready for weapons now if you are!"

But before they could begin discussing which weapons they should fight with, Elizabeth suddenly appeared behind the couches and everyone but Azazeal jumped. All eyes turned to her. She looked tired and worn out but was smiling pleasantly at everyone.

"Sorry, I wanted to come back and say goodbye to you all properly. It was rude to…"

"Elizabeth," Cassie said, "Where is…?"

"He's fine and…uh, unconscious," she mumbled and then shot a devious smiled at Cassie who looked a bit flustered at this but not surprised. She knew quite well how exhausted the angels got when they threw themselves into the mental and spiritual act of worship while maintaining physical form.

"So, he doesn't know you're here?" Cassie asked accusingly and with not a small amount of fear.

"No and it's going to stay that way," she replied with great certainty, standing up straighter and squaring her shoulders. There was also concern and fondness in her face as well.

At this both Daemon and Lucivar, saw the Queen in her for the first time. She didn't have great psychic strength, she didn't hold Court, and she only had one male but she was just as much a Queen as Jaenelle and Cassie. And considering the male that she did have, he was clearly enough of handful all by himself to equal the difficulty of ruling a whole Court of males. But what made her a Queen was that she understood the magnitude of what Lucifer entrusted to her and she was never going to betray that.

"I'm glad you came back, Elizabeth," Jaenelle chimed in and stood to face her. "I think I understood everything else, but what did Lucifer mean when he said he wanted you to…"

"My dear," Elizabeth interrupted her, glancing at Daemon, whose entire body was burning at the thought of hearing Elizabeth explain to Jaenelle any one of the sexual acts Lucifer had mentioned.

"There are some sexual acts that a lover may enjoy that you will have to let him request and teach you," Elizabeth finished much to Daemon's relief, but Jaenelle looked disappointed.

"It's generally best not to surprise a new lover," Elizabeth added, "but if you have any questions about things you've already done…" she shrugged and smiled. Then lowering her voice to a whisper that Daemon could still hear, "And then maybe later on we'll come up with some things that will twist him in knots, alright?" Jaenelle's face lit up and Daemon's stomach plummeted but there was another part of him that leapt up in excitement.

"Now let me take my leave properly and I hope we will all see each other again soon." With that she walked directly over to Daemon and gave him a hug and a bright smile.

He smiled back and wondered what it had been like for her to feel a being as powerful as Lucifer burning with love and willingly defenseless before her. And he wondered what it would feel like to Jaenelle when he surrendered his body and his mind to her. He wondered if Lucifer had thought even for a moment that this time she might tear him apart and torture him for her amusement or had he absolutely trusted that she would return his love and claim him again as her own. And he wondered what it would be like the first time Janelle's feral side was provoked in the bedroom and he risked destruction at her hands, would he be able to do what was necessary to soothe her?

Then he thought of Lucifer at that very moment in blissful oblivion believing that Elizabeth was safe his arms…

"I'm sorry that I…" Daemon started.

"Don't worry, you misunderstood, Jaenelle explained, but you'll have to be careful with Lucifer. He's not so understanding." She said this as if they would all be seeing a lot more of each other in the future.

"Why is he not your husband?" Daemon blurted out to his own surprise and realized suddenly just how much he wanted to be Jaenelle's husband someday.

She looked at him strangely and replied, "He doesn't want to be. He despises the idea of marriage with the ceremony and rings. A being like him does not understand the point of it."

"No, those are the visible symbols of marriage," Daemon said gently becoming the kind advisor he sometimes was with the Coven. "He wants to be yours in all the ways that he can be and you're denying him that. He wants the title of husband even though he doesn't understand it yet, because it means something to you."

Elizabeth considered this and smiled, "I guess I'll have to teach him then." She gave him another quick hug and went over to Lucivar who gave her a bone-crushing hug that made her laugh.

"Will he smell us on you?" Lucivar asked with a sudden fierce concern, pushing her away a little roughly.

"No, he won't," she assured him, amused by his abrupt concern.

"You should get back to him," he replied and it was almost an order.

"I'll be back in his arms before he knows it and I don't expect I'll be leaving the safety of them for quite some time." She smiled and laughed a bit and it was clear that she was in for a fair amount of Lucifer's style of fussing in the days to come, but that she wouldn't really mind. Lucivar pursed his lips and was almost jealous that Lucifer would not get snarled at for fussing…but not quite.

Elizabeth then went back to Jaenelle and hugged her soundly before smiling at Azazeal and Cassie. She then said a final goodbye before disappearing.

"I think we should go now too," Janelle said tiredly to Cassie.

"Of course, you look dead on your feet and I have to admit I'm a bit tired too," Cassie said as she hugged Jaenelle, "But you must promise to come back soon."

"I promise, but I think you're going to need Lucifer to agree to it first," she replied and both she and Cassie laughed.

Cassie also hugged both Daemon and Lucivar, who really weren't anymore prepared for her hugs than they had been for Elizabeth's. They both gave her warm but brief hugs, still naturally wary of Azazeal's presence and possible reaction to any wrong move, and they in turn watched him carefully when he hugged Jaenelle. The boys settled on nodding respectfully to each other before Jaenelle, Daemon, and Lucivar disappeared through the window and back home.

* * *

Daemon would not have an opportunity surrender himself to Jaenelle as he had planned or introduce some of the new ways of giving pleasure that he had gleaned from Lucifer's rather instructive mental pictures, because not too long after their visit to the other world, war threatened to break out between Terreille and Kaaleer.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning Elizabeth woke to delicate hands playing with her body coaxing her towards consciousness and then a purring rumble next to her ear let her know that Lucifer was back to his normal self. When he was sure she was awake, he took his time teasing her and laughing quietly at her when she would try to follow his hand or mouth, which he had taken away to torment her. But she didn't care. She shamelessly accepted this reward and punishment for what she had done to him last night.

Elizabeth had done all that Lucifer had asked for and more, which was exactly the right thing to do because any opportunity she had to show that she was dominant, she was expected to take. It never failed to amuse her how Lucifer's desire to obey had always worked against him in these situations, but it had been the reason why using sex to control him had been so effective. She had found that with relatively little effort and concentration she could convince his body to obey her and he would not reach his climax until she was good and ready to let him. In that way she could get all of his agitation and energy out and when he was clear headed and desperate enough to realize that the only way he was going to get what his body wanted was to submit…he did. Of course, sometimes the only way to get him to that point had been to mix pleasure and pain to the point that if she went to take a nipple in her mouth, he'd tense and stare at her wildly, not knowing if she was going to suck it gently or bite it viscously, but not willing to stop her either way.

He had not needed much persuading last night, but he had needed the physical contact and reassurance. Sex was the closest thing he had to the angelic experience.

And when Elizabeth had demanded the surrender of...everything, the everything he had asked her to require of him, he slipped easily into a state of purely angelic love, a state that he could not always get to, and gave himself to her. Elizabeth paused a moment to admire the beauty of this experience before sending the necessary waves of love, acceptance, satisfaction at his obedience which she watched send exquisite shivers of ecstasy through his being. He had started to do this only recently and it was more than the worship that he normally gave her. It felt more like a physical and spiritual openess, a surrender of the self that seemed to go naturally with the words he spoke to her.

As if on cue, when she had thought that, the praise had started, the snippets of the songs that he used to sing to the Creator, that he now sang to her. This had bothered her at first but then both she and Cassie had come to the realization that it was only pieces of the songs, only those pieces that said what they wanted to say but were…applicable to a human. Because while the divine in them allowed this experience to occur, the girls were not the divine.

It always amazed Elizabeth and Cassie how comforted their angels were by the divine experience they were able to have with them. Despite, but really because of, the depth of the surrender the boys always felt stronger, more secure, and accepted afterwards. When they discussed it with each other, the girls would laugh and chalk it up to another part of the angelic nature that was seemingly opposite to own but deep down both of them understood it, which was why they could give their angels what they needed.

When Elizabeth recovered from her pleasure-induced haze, she asked Lucifer about what had happened last night.

"They could have hurt you," he said with a cocky smile that indicated that he was still pleased with himself over this morning's romp and was not going to let this line of questioning ruin it, "Nothing in this world could hurt you enough that I could not heal you but they are different."

"But you seemed to be impervious to Lucivar's power and you read their minds so..."

He chuckled at her, "Of course, they cannot harm me but I did not read their minds. I cannot do that any more that Azazeal can. I just captured information from their memories and I could feel their strong emotions coming off of them in waves, but I cannot read thoughts, my dear."

He had almost growled when he said "strong emotions," but Elizabeth let it go and said, "You seemed to get alone well enough with Daemon."

"Ah, the wingless one! He got me talking about you. And because I was listening to your conversation with the girl too, I found that there was something he needed to hear so I told him. But by then I wanted you so much I could no longer be bothered to entertain him anymore."

After a pause and smile to herself that Lucifer was pretending that it had been the sex that he had wanted instead of the reassurance of his goddess, Elizabeth asked the question she really wanted answered, "Why were you so agitated?"

"I told you…"

"No, you didn't, tell me why."

His tone turned serious and shook in deadly anger, "Their easy rise to rage incites me, Azazeal will understand. I…I cannot deal with threats to your safety. I wasn't meant to…"

He stopped but she didn't need him to go on. She knew perfectly well that she, being what she was to him, should have been stronger than he was but even that wasn't really his concern. He could act and be genuinely possessive but when he was protective it had always been a game, an imitation of Azazeal and of human men. A good imitation but an imitation nonetheless because he had no real fear of her being harmed by anything not of heaven itself. However, when she had been threatened last night by being in the presence of such powerful and emotional beings, he had had no reference to help him deal with the situation. She now knew what had been going through his head. His mind could only comprehend destroying them as the appropriate response. The only thing that had held him back was the foresight she had had years ago to tell him never to kill. That had been the fine thread that their guests had been dangling on. She was lucky that his conflect and confusion had not caused him to behave worse than he had.

"Well," Elizabeth finally said, "I think we're going to want them to visit us again. Are you going to be able to handle that?"

"I will not refuse you, you know that," he said kindly, but there was a deviousness behind it that she wasn't quite comfortable with.

* * *

At Cassie's bidding, Azazael had watched their friends to see when they could be asked back, but the war in Kaaleer started and then they had to wait until after Jaenelle was healed from the purge to contact them again.

* * *

**What did Lucifer do?**

**From "Paradise Lost" by John Milton (read it slowly)**

_"Love not the Heavenly Spirits, and how their love  
Express they—by looks only, or do they mix  
Irradiance, virtual or immediate touch?"  
To whom the Angel, with a smile that glowed  
Celestial rosy-red, Love's proper hue,  
Answered:—"Let it suffice thee that thou know'st  
Us happy, and without Love no happiness.  
Whatever pure thou in the body enjoy'st  
(And pure thou wert created) we enjoy  
In eminence, and obstacle find none  
Of membrane, joint, or limb, exclusive bars.  
Easier than air with air, if Spirits embrace,  
Total they mix, union of pure with pure  
Desiring, nor restrained conveyance need  
As flesh to mix with flesh, or soul with soul."_

A simple interpretation of the last four lines:

If spirits (angels) embrace they mix totally like air with air, a union of pure desire with pure desire, not needing flesh to experience one another, soul mixing with soul.


	6. Chapter 6

Several months later, after Daemon and Jaenelle's wedding, Azazael had Lucifer open windows a few times for them to visit, but Lucifer and Elizabeth never stayed.

Cassie and Jaenelle spent most of their time discussing married life, Craft, and differences in fashion, while Daemon discussed business and society with Azazeal. Even though Azazeal was not from their world, he had some very insightful things to say about human relations and how to rule which came in handy since Daemon was now Warlord Prince of Delhman. These visits were generally very relaxed and informative, however there were times when Daemon and Azazeal would scrape against each other's temper, although not enough for them to discover just how much they could harm one another. Daemon was, of course, used to this play of power and temper, but the things that could so quickly incite rage in Daemon sometimes disturbed Azazeal. He fully understood Lucifer's reluctance to have Elizabeth around these visitors, but he was going to have to convince him to join them again because he couldn't do this on his own anymore.

The girls were perfectly happy together and had no such flares of temper. Jaenelle continued to enjoy easy conversation with Cassie who would never judge her for any of the feelings of excitement, doubt, annoyance, or curiosity that she expressed regarding her life, but they both felt Elizabeth's absence. Cassie longed to show Jaenelle more of her world and the girls did…almost…successfully escape from the confines of the church to explore the town in England in which they found themselves, but they were quickly confronted by two very annoyed men.

* * *

Lucifer was eventually convinced to bring Elizabeth to one of these visits and he opened the window but then withdrew with Elizabeth further back in the church to allow Azazeal and Cassie to first greet their visitors and to manage his fear. 

On this occasion, Jaenelle had decided that it was a fabulously wonderful idea to drag Papa with them to meet their new friends. After introductions between Saetan and Cassie and Azazeal, Saetan's attention was immediately caught by the power that lurked towards the back of the room.

Just then Elizabeth and Lucifer began to approach them with Lucifer walking at Elizabeth's left and slightly behind her.

"_He's Warlord Prince!" _Saetan thought to Daemon, with no small about of worry in his mental voice.

"_Not exactly." _Daemon replied in amusement

"_Mother Night, he's in rut, Daemon, we have to…"_

_"I think he's always like that," _Daemon sent with a laugh. _"Don't worry, his Queen will control him."_

However, Lucifer's friendly expression changing to fury as they got closer and closer. Daemon could feel his father's temper rising in response to Lucifer's and they appeared to be feeding off each other. Daemon tensed as his own temper responded to his father's and Lucifer shot him a searing glance. This was not going well.

Elizabeth stopped about five feet away and now Lucifer was standing over her in pure territorial rage, as if he were a predator and she was a fresh kill that he was not going to share with anyone.

Suddenly, a violent power in the room started to grow and began spark and flare like a witch storm. It was gathering around Lucifer who was drawing all of his power to himself. At this point even Jaenelle gave Elizabeth a worried look but she only shifted back a step to be next to Lucifer and took his hand in her own. This seemed to shake him out of his trance and he turned and smiled at her as the surplus power became benevolent and gently swirled and formed a protective shield around Elizabeth.

Lucifer then turned back to their guests with an amusing look of relief and welcome, while Elizabeth proudly smiled to herself, letting everyone know that this had been her idea and that it had, thankfully, worked.

He examined them and looking from Saetan to Daemon and back again. He pursed his lips in annoyance.

"I can't believe there's two of you," he said roughly. He took a step towards Daemon who was opposite him and who also stepped forward to shake hands as Azazeal had instructed him.

Lucifer said to him in a low voice, "You didn't do what I told you to but that neat little turn of phrase is cute." Daemon narrowed his eyes at him but wanted to laugh. Azazeal had prepared him for the fact that Lucifer would…know things, but he hadn't expect him to know about their sex life or about the words in the Old Tongue that he had had his father translate.

Lucifer then slid sideways a step to be in front of Jaenelle but he did not approach her. He glanced quickly at Daemon with a meaningful look and he understood that Lucifer was establishing the distance that they should keep from Elizabeth. He informed his father as Lucifer eyed Jaenelle carefully.

"And you…you've changed," he announced. "It suits you," Lucifer finished kindly. Daemon and Saetan noticed the slightly flattered smile on Jaenelle's face. She was still not beyond appreciating being accepted for what she now was.

Then his voice changed to a silky croon that might have been an imitation of Daemon and he added, "But tell me, do you enjoy ripping out the hearts of the men that love you? Hmmm?"

Jaenelle immediately became embarrassed but Lucifer continued, "Well, you've learned some things the hard way since I last saw you but at least you've learned them. We'll talk later, my dear."

Saetan and Daemon exchanged an amused glance before Lucifer approached Saetan.

"And who might you be?" Lucifer asked.

Jaenelle responded, "This is my father, Saetan."

Lucifer chuckled, "First Lucifer, now Satan, suddenly I'm feeling quite paternal. Azazeal, are you sure there isn't something I should know about this world?"

"No, you had nothing to do with their creation," Azazeal said with a wry smile.

"Why would you have anything to do with our world?" Saetan asked, trying to remain polite though he was slightly offended. Jaenelle and Daemon had explained to Saetan what they knew about this world and their new friends, but none of them was prepared for what Lucifer said next.

In a loud and ringing voice Lucifer said, "Because I am Lucifer, the Light-bringer, the Morning Star. I am Satan, the Adversary. I am the Prince of Darkness, the Ruler of Hell, and the Devil himself…," then he added with a sly smile and a geature with his head towards Elizabeth, "in addition to being Elizabeth's pleasure slave."

Even with the shock of hearing Lucifer announce these titles, Daemon and Jaenelle shared a laugh with him about being a pleasure slave.

Saetan just stared at him wide-eyed, "But…"

"Why don't we all make ourselves comfortable and I can explain everything," Azazeal suggested in that tone that no one could ever ignore.

* * *

After Azazeal had explained in painful detail the story of Creation, Lucifer and the other fallen angels and briefly filled in other gaps in Jaenelle, Daemon, and Saetan's knowledge, it all made much more sense. The worlds were not directly related but somehow somethings were similar. 

As everyone rose to mingle, Daemon cut off Lucifer as he was about to approached Jaenelle for their promised discussion. He wanted to have a closer look at Lucifer and gage his mood before letting him approach his Lady.

"So," Daemon said, "you are not yet a husband, I see."

"Oh, but I am," Lucifer responded proudly. He lifted his arms and extended them to pull back his black shirt and coat sleeves to reveal a wide gold bangle on each wrist. They were etched with a starburst pattern and accented with glittering diamonds. They were beautiful against his light brown skin and Daemon had noticed earlier that Elizabeth had a ring with the same pattern on her left hand.

"Are bracelets for males traditional here?"

"No," Lucifer laughed because Azazeal and Cassie had teased him a bit for his choice, "But a little ring hardly seemed sufficient and Elizabeth told me I could have whatever I wanted."

"They're lovely."

"I liked the implication of 'captive' too," Lucifer added with a wicked smile and then maneuvered around Daemon to find Jaenelle.

He didn't tell Daemon that he had also insisted on a few other things that had amused Elizabeth but that she had allowed. He had decided that she would wait with Azazeal at the front of the church, who was going to officiate the quick annoucement and exchange of vows, and that Lucifer would come to her instead of her walking down the isle to him. No matter how many times she had explained why the man waited for the woman to come to him, he would always respond, "I understand, but I should go to you." So, Elizabeth finally gave up. He had refused to say his, rather intimate, vows in anything but angelic, as the human languages were not sufficient, and he had also worn nothing but his wings for the ceremony. Though when Elizabeth had playfully suggested that she should do the same he, of course, objected, saying that for him clothes had always been optional, but that was not the case for her. He had tried hard and had eventually understood the role of a mortal husband and why they would share their happiness with their friends, but he was adamant that this was not just an announcement of their commitment to each other as husband and wife but also a public sealing of the bond between an angel and…his everything. Thus the unconventional additions to the affair that for Lucifer had been important.


	7. Chapter 7

Daemon watched Lucifer as he walked over to Jaenelle and shook his head. He knew Lucifer enough from their two encounters and the information he obtained from Azazeal to know that, like him, the only thing that mattered was his Lady. So he wasn't afraid for Jaenelle but with Lucifer's reputation, he was concerned with what he might say to her.

He watched as Lucifer settled himself on a couch next to the one she was on. It was close enough to have a relatively private conversation, but still maintained the distance that Lucifer had established. Jaenelle smiled at Lucifer pleasantly but defiantly and made him proud.

Daemon then glanced at his father, Saetan who looked uncomfortable but amused in between Cassie and Elizabeth who where grilling him about himself. He had told his father mind-to-mind that these angels were just as protective of their Ladies as Warlord Princes were…but maybe he shouldn't have mentioned that while Azazeal was not as powerful as Lucifer or blatant about his concern for Cassie, he was just as protective. Not even Daemon knew what would set Azazeal off but that was by design, so that once the line was crossed, you wouldn't know what was coming until it hit you. Daemon and Saetan were extremely dangerous, but then again, they were used to the rise and fall of anger and fear and rage, while these males, once provoked, had, if possible, less control then Warlord Princes.

Oh well, Lucivar had given him strict instructions to find out just how much damage they could do to these angels and vice versa, so it was time to see if he could get Azazeal to spar with him…psychically, of course.

* * *

"My dear," Lucifer started and then jumped right into what he had to say, "You are going to have to learn to accept that people really do love you."

"I know," she said stubbornly, but he continued without giving her a chance to say anything more.

"Then why do you hide what you feel from them and then become annoyed with them when they don't understand? Hm? I'm not going to scold you for using your power to purge your world of evil and nearly killing yourself in the process. But expecting them to automatically understand why you would chose to come back with lesser power…"

"But…," Jaenelle interjected.

"It is in their nature to worry about you. They were only worried that you might be unhappy and vulnerable."

"No, they were worried that my power didn't exist any more! They crave that power."

"Of course they do because your whole society revolves around power and the males need to be controlled by a strong Queen, but don't lie to yourself, honey, you have Black power in you still."

She only huffed at this.

"All I'm saying is that you need to let the pain of growing up with all that power and being different from everyone else go and admit that Daemon, Lucivar, Saetan and the people of your former Court still love you. If you show them that you are happy with your power and that you're not weak and are still capable of…what I know you're capable of, then they will accept you. Those who don't can go to Hell!"

She laughed at this.

"And one more thing…Daemon is hopeless, you're never going to get rid of him, so stop torturing him," Lucifer said with a mischievous smile.

"I've never…," she started, but Lucifer cut her off again.

"First, you wouldn't touch him because you were afraid to make him feel like used pleasure slave again and then you were worried that he was only staying with you out of a sense of duty when you were so fragile after the purge, with other smatterings of distrust along the way. He loves you, you love him. Tell him what you need and he will give it to you, it's that simple. And don't come crying to me if you refused to explain yourself to him and you both end up yearning for each other from afar again."

Jaenelle nodded like a student and smiled to think of this being, who was older than Lorn and Draca, the dragons who had given the Blood their power so long ago, giving her relationship advise. She knew he was right but that wasn't going to make it any easier to implement this course of action.

"And how do you cope with having so much power and being so different?" Jaenelle asked him.

"I have Elizabeth," he said, "and like you, it took some work but accepting that she loved me was the key to everything."

"Then why did you let her hurt you?" Janelle asked because she hadn't really been satisfied with what Daemon had learned on the subject.

"Well, 'let' isn't really how used to happen," he rumbled, "Provoke her to it is more accurate and I suppose it had to do with how angry she had to be to allow herself to want to do it and the complete focus on me. And when she's that focused and wants something that much…I'm shamefully aroused by giving it to her," he said but his expression was anything but shamed. He liked it for other reasons too, she had no doubt, and she already knew that he had fetish for giving Elizabeth exactly what she wanted, so she just stared at him waiting for more. He soon smiled and continued.

"It's different for me. I cannot be harmed or scarred and I have no fear of it. It is just pure and glorious sensation, searing the nerves, obliterating thought, dragging me out of fear and hatred, until there is nothing left to hide. My true self is laid bare and I don't think I've ever surrendered with such abandon as those times when it has been so hard won."

He shrugged and smiled, "But it quickly became more and more rare that I was willful enough to resist her more delicately persuasive techniques in bed, particularly after I discovered that being sent away from her was worse than any other punishment that she could devise, but that is a story for another time," his smile became sad for a second but then he grinned. "What you want to know is, yes, I always went with her willingly when she'd given up on subtlety and she pulled me out of bed and pushed me against the bedroom wall. I knew what was coming, the lash or some other thing, and I never stopped her, except by welcoming the submission when it came and speaking the words that had always let her know that it had taken me." He paused.

"Her anger would break then, every time, and only gentleness would follow when she took be back into her bed. In my eagerness, I would send waves of love and adoration and she would sometimes cry, not understanding how I could feel that way after…but she understands me now and now I don't need that kind of...," he smile wickedly, "urging...but there are plenty of other reasons for a little...well, we won't get into that."

He paused again and became teasing, "And, my dear, it is all because I explained myself to her, in the ways that I could. You should be more open with Daemon and stop trying to protect everyone all the time."

* * *

Meanwhile, Saetan had been answering more questions that he had thought anyone would have been able to come up with regarding his world. He was exhausted and had gleaned no information whatsoever from the girls about their world. These two were almost as bad as the whole Coven put together.

"I really think we should ask Jaenelle bring Lucivar next time, Cassie, because I think the boys need some lessons in fussing and Lucivar appears to be an expert."

"I wholeheartedly agree," Cassie replied.

Saetan decided that he had to respond to this.

"You actually want to be fussed over?"

"Why wouldn't we?" Cassie asked with a playful smile.

"Well, females always want to do things for themselves and push themselves beyond their tolerance to do so but they despise to be forced to sit and do nothing and they snarl at us when we try to help, so it's a delicate balance…"

"Well, my reasoning is different," Elizabeth interrupted, "you see, Lucifer's not so good at telling me 'no' and from the stories I've heard about Lucivar, he really knows how to dig in his heals."

"My God, Elizabeth," Cassie said, "The last thing we need is him saying 'no' to you."

"Oh, just on certain things. You have no idea the crazy things he lets me do and he can't look out for my best interests unless I want what's in my best interest. I'm finding that I need a reality check every once and a while."

"Then come see me!" Cassie exclaimed.

Elizabeth laughed, "Hey, I married him and I expect a husband-like creature from time to time, even if it's annoying."

Cassie laughed back and they both looked expectantly at Saetan as if he would have something to add to this discussion but he merely put his fingers to his temples and closed his eyes.

Just then the shock waves of a strong burst of Black power rippled through the room. Elizabeth and Cassie were oblivious, but Saetan immediately looked up and then rose and turned towards were his son and Azazeal had been taking. The girls rose and looked too. Lucifer growled and disappeared so quickly that Jaenelle jumped, but it was Witch that rose and walked over to stare at Daemon who was standing next to…a massive swirl of strange particles of light.


	8. Chapter 8

Everyone stood in a loose circle around Daemon and what was left of Azazeal and stared in amazement. All except Cassie who was near to tears and Lucifer who appeared to be annoyed.

"What did you do?" Jaenelle asked Daemon, who wasn't sure who he should be more afraid of, Jaenelle or Lucifer. How was he going to explain that Azazeal had taunted him into unleashing a killing blast of Black power after they had begun with a few controlled experiments which had apparently been amusing to Azazeal?

Before he could answer, you could feel rather than hear laugher in the room as Azazeal reconstituted his physical form before their eyes. Cassie ran to him and nearly knocked him over as she crashed into him with a hug. He kissed the top of her head and smiled arrogantly at Daemon.

"What? You though you'd destroyed me?"

"Well, I…"

"Don't you ever do that again!" Cassie shouted at Azazeal, who looked down at a women clearly not interested in the games the boys were playing. He put on his best apologetic face and she forgave him without another word.

"So," Jaenelle begin, "I assume this is all in an attempt to determine if you could kill each other."

"Lucivar's orders," Daemon said hoping she might possibly blame Lucivar instead, "He said that Azazeal had told him that it was unlikely that we could hurt each other because we come from different worlds, so…"

"You actually told them that, Az?" Lucifer laughed as if this was a hilarious joke.

Azazeal shrugged and smiled slyly at Daemon, "It's not true but it was easier to have you believe it. The truth is that, like you, we are only concerned with the safety of the women. I didn't want our power to get in the way of that understanding."

"So you could…"

"Well, we can't enter your world…," Azazeal said.

"But if there's a way to hurt you I can find it," Lucifer finished with a challenging smile.

As the knowledge of this lie and the danger he and Jaenelle were now in sank in, Daemon's rage urged him to violence again.

Turning to Lucifer, he growled, "And what would happen to your pretty little shield around Elizabeth if I unleash against it. How many blasts before it dissipates like Azazeal and she's open for the kill?"

Lucifer's eyes went cold and in a quietly evil voice he said, "Do you remember the Twisted Kingdom, Daemon?"

Despite his rage, Daemon shuddered at the thought of all of those years he'd spent in the state of pain and madness that the Blood called the Twisted Kingdom while he had believed the lie that he had raped and killed Jaenelle.

Jaenelle saw him shudder and moved towards Elizabeth to hopefully stop this confrontation as Lucifer continued.

"That experience is an insult to what I would feel if…Do not threaten it," Lucifer finished softly and he actually took a step back from Daemon and let the challenge leave his expression. Daemon watched him carefully for a moment before forcing his anger to cool and accepting the truce.

Jaenelle whispered to Elizabeth who she was now next to, "Thank you!"

"Oh, I didn't do anything. He did that himself," Elizabeth finished surprised.

* * *

"Children!!" Lucifer said all of a sudden in mock exasperation to Saetan as he pulled him away from the tense and shocked group to have a private conversation. 

"Yes, they do get themselves into trouble don't they?" Saetan replied, amused that being over 50,000 years old qualified him to not be considered a child by a being so much older then himself.

"Will Azazeal be okay?" Saetan continued.

"He's fine, not a scratch on him, but that won't stop Cassie from carefully inspecting every inch of her territory later tonight."

"Is she a healer?"

"No, you can't heal an angel," Lucifer said, "but that's not the point, now is it? Getting him naked is the point and the excuse is, well, flimsy at best but those are always the best excuses for something of that sort, don't you think?"

"I suppose," Saetan laughed at the idea of creating thinly veiled excuses to get a lover naked and that this would add to the excitement of the whole affair.

"So, are you going to tell me why you haven't yet bothered to mention the little fact that in your world you are called the High Lord of Hell and the Prince of the Darkness?" Lucifer said smoothly changing the subject.

"I didn't think you'd be interested."

"Oh, I'm interested."

"I am the most powerful Warlord Prince in the history of the Blood, well I was until Daemon came into his power. I was chosen to rule the realm of the demon-dead who are those whose psychic strength is too great at their death for them to dissipate into the darkness. So they come to Hell to use up the rest of their strength and life."

"Not like my Hell at all," Lucifer replied, "but to be honest, the Hell the mortals believe in doesn't exist either. The abyss is my Hell, not theirs. Those who cannot return to the Creator will find their own Hell to exist in when Creation ends."

"How is that you know what you know about people?" Saetan asked a bit hesitantly after a short pause in conversaion.

"Ah, the all important question. Just as you can sense people's emotions, I can sense things that emanate from people's souls. I don't read minds, but important things about an individual are written on their souls for me to read."

"And you feel that you should offer advise to people based on this information?" Saetan asked, knowing that Lucifer had made pronouncements to both Daemon and Jaenelle though he didn't know the details.

"I get bored," Lucifer shrugged and then smiled mischievously before leaving Saetan to himself.

* * *

Lucifer, after having said whatever it was that he had wanted to say to everyone, slipped up behind Elizabeth when she was alone for a moment, putting his arms around her waist and burying his face in the hair over her right shoulder. Then, since he was done with everyone and wanted to go home, he nudged the hair away from her neck and began kissing it, which was, of course, followed by pressing his hips forward so that she could feel his hardness against her. 

Elizabeth laughed quietly and he whispered, "I've been good, hmm? There are things I want to do to you."

"I'm sure there are," she replied, still smiling to herself.

It always surprised her that for a being that spent so much of his time either confused by or ignoring decisions that he should make for himself, he always…ALWAYS knew what he wanted in bed. But then again there were other contradictions in him too. For instance, while he was not naturally geared towards protecting her, he had from the beginning fiercely protected her home in California. He had set up a crew of sentry angels, who still reported to him, and they watched the house, stopping and announcing any angels that wanted to see Elizabeth or Lucifer and invisibly stalking any humans that came near. Cassie and Azazeal were the only ones who had general visiting rights but it was clear that they were only to be used sparingly. Only their two sons, Luke and Bryan, were able to enter at any time. Why this was so, Elizabeth didn't really know but apparently her home was more than just a house to him. It was a place that merited his guardianship but he would not explain why to her. Perhaps because he didn't want to embarrass her. There were still a couple of things that she was not completely at ease with and it hurt him when she rejected his devotion even in the smallest way and even if it was out of human modesty.

Then Elizabeth pulled away from him, which he only allowed because he knew she was going to say goodbye to their friends, and hugged Cassie and Jaenelle, while giving a nod and a smile to Daemon and Saetan before returning to Lucifer to be whisked home.

* * *

After Elizabeth and Lucifer left, Cassie would not let Jaenelle go without promises from her that next time they would bring Lucivar and next time…they would go outside and show them the world. 

"My dear, how do you propose that we hide their gold eyes and Lucivar's wings?" Azazeal asked, always practical.

"Well, I don't know, but…"

"Don't worry about that," Jaenelle interjected, "I can create illusion spells that will cover them up. I'll be sure to bring what I need next time."

"Excellent," Cassie exclaimed, excited at the prospect and they said their goodbyes.

Azazeal, of course had no idea why Lucivar was being specially requested for the next visit but he would find out soon enough. But not before Cassie performed the delightfully thorough examination of his body that Lucifer had predicted to Saetan, which he returned rather more slowly and sensuously than Cassie had been prepared for, but then again Azazeal had never been one to rush pleasure.

* * *

For the next visit, as promised, Jaenelle and Daemon brought Lucivar, who was already well aware of his instructions to explain the fine art fussing over females to Azazeal and Lucifer. While Jaenelle and Daemon worked on the spells that would hide the boy's golden eyes and Lucivar's wings, Lucivar jumped right into his lesson. 

Azazeal as it turned out didn't need much instruction. He was sly about it but he monitored everything that went on in Cassie's life. He ensured that she was well at all times and if, when going out alone, she refused an escort, he had her followed. The fact that she didn't know about these things was evidence that he, in his own way, respected her independance but he could not do otherwise than be the protective angel that he was. She would have understood…had she known.

Lucifer, on the other hand, received a blistering scolding from Lucivar when he found out that he did not make sure that Elizabeth ate, did not make sure that she slept, did not make sure she was warm enough, did not make sure she didn't overwork herself, did not keep track of her moontimes, let her gallivant about on her own…the list was extensive, but in his defense, Lucifer had just recently realized that these things were important. Well, he knew, he just never really cared and Elizabeth seemed to do just fine without his…

"What kind of husband are you?" Lucivar had roared once he had heard Lucifer's attempt at an excuse for his negligence. In truth, the women of our world are not the same as the women of Lucivar's world, but the underlying message was clear: If you're not paying attention to these kinds of things, you're not doing your job. But Lucivar didn't know that if Elizabeth wanted, Lucifer could become an extension of her will and then all of these needs would be open to him and he would naturally fulfill them at her merest thought…but she wouldn't let him. Without that connection, he was locked out of her mind and only had his meager understanding of the tiny details of the human world to rely on. He was made for grand undertakings that were beyond human comprehension and while he was generally satisfied with performing the relatively easy tasks that Elizabeth asked of him, he was not at the point that he could be counted on to anticipate her human needs.

"I don't know," was Lucifer's response at which point he wandered off thoughtfully and only returned quietly to Elizabeth's side once everyone was ready to venture outside.


	9. Chapter 9

As they left the Church, Azazeal and Cassie preceded Jaenelle, who was flanked as usual by Daemon and Lucivar, and Elizabeth and Lucifer in turn followed them. The first thing Jaenelle did was turn around to look at the building they had been inside all of the times they had visited. She stared open-mouthed at the beautiful facade with Daemon and Lucivar similarly engaged next to her.

"It was a Church, a Temple," Azazeal said from behind them, "A place where the mortals came to worship the Creator, but it has been deconsecrated. Now it is…" he paused and looked at Lucifer for a second, "Now it is our home."

"It is beautiful," Jaenelle said and they all turned to follow Azazeal, in his slow persistent walk, as hed move out of the Church grounds and onto the streets of this English town.

They made a strange sight. Ladies being escorted on the arms of men in the mid-morning as if this were a scene out of a Jane Austen novel, except that they were walking along a side walk and there were cars flying along the street next to them. It took the visitors a moment to realize that these were not coaches driven by Craft and the speed at which they moved shocked them.

"Cars," Cassie said, "Uh, machines that have an engine and you drive them around to get places." She looked to Elizabeth for help but she just shrugged.

"We have coaches," Jaenelle said, "Some pulled by horses and some driven by Craft but…nothing like this."

"Well, just don't get in the street and you'll be fine."

They were just about to move on, Cassie had wanted to show them her old school Mendham, when Lucivar froze and growled at something across the street. Azazeal could feel Lucivar's rage rising and though he was somewhat used to this immediate reaction, he knew that he had to deal with this quickly. He moved next to Lucivar to determine what threat he saw and also spared a glance at Daemon who was also focused, sleepy-eyed, on something across the street. When he looked, Azazeal only saw Araqiel, but he knew that this was clearly the reason for the concern.

"That's Araqiel," Azazeal said almost laughing, "He's harmless," he added but he gave the angel a dismissive nod and Araqiel vanished.

"Our home is their meeting place, you know," Cassie said, "When you come they get kicked out, but they are always lurking around. They will not harm you, on the contrary, they are curious about you. Besides, no one defies Azazeal."

"And what about all of the other people on the street? Is this place safe?" Lucivar asked.

Azazeal smiled in amusement because this should have been a question asked before they left on this journey.

"Our world is not a paradise, but there is nothing in this world I fear," Azazeal said proudly, "Our fierce reaction to your appearance in our world should give you a clue as to how we accustomed we are to being the strongest beings here."

Lucivar and Daemon considered this and then with their fears calmed, everyone again fell into place following Azazeal and Cassie.

* * *

They walked and talked and asked and answered questions, and eventually Daemon lifted Jaenelle's hand to his lips and kissed her hand before disengaging and joining Azazeal and Cassie. Cassie, who could tell Daemon wanted to talk to Azazeal, gave her husband a small smile and walked back a few steps to Jaenelle and Lucivar. Jaenelle, never content to remain as she was, made a great show of "secretly" replacing herself on Lucivar's arm with Cassie as he rolled his eyes but played along. Jaenelle then waited for Elizabeth and Lucifer to catch her and proceeded to loop her arm around Lucifer's free one. His hand had been in his pocket and he stared at her for a second before taking his hand out of his pocket and raising his arm to escort level.

Lucivar was less than happy about his new arrangement and slowed Cassie so that they could take up the rear and he could keep his eyes on Jaenelle. All the while he was muttering about crazy females, males that didn't know how to serve, and something about the lack of the shield around Elizabeth that Daemon had told him to expect. Cassie ignored this and began to question him extensively about Eyriens which got him engaged enough to stop muttering.

Daemon walked next to Azazeal from a while in silence and it was Azazeal that finally broke it.

"Why did you come back after we told you that we were not harmless?"

Daemon smiled wickedly, "We are not harmless either, despite that you might think. Besides, there's no stopping Jaenelle and I believe you when you say that your main concern is the safety of your Ladies. If we can agree on that, as you said, we should be able to interact without violence."

"I'm glad you see it that way," Azazeal replied and then waited for Daemon to ask what he wanted to ask.

"What did Lucviar teach you about fussing?" Daemon asked.

Azazeal looked at him with a curious smile, "Just the basics I am sure."

Daemon paused and then said, "We both spent hundreds of years and pleasure slaves, our instincts to protect females toyed with and used against us and warped beyond recognition…and yet as soon as he was free…he took to it again as if he'd been doing it all his life."

"Well, I doubt that," Azazeal said amused but serious, "But Lucivar does seem to have a knack for fussing even though it apparently entails dumping uncooperative females into the nearest body of water."

Daemon laughed, "But he gets his way that's what matters."

"And you don't?"

"Oh, I bribe Jaenelle into doing what's best for her," Daemon grinned seductively, "But I feel that sometimes, I'm not doing all that I should be, that I'm too programmed to obey to be forceful enough to really help her when she cannot see clearly enough to take care of herself."

"Maybe I'm not the one you should be talking to," Azazeal said, "Lucifer…"

"It's not the same. I have the instincts and I rise to the killing edge quickly enough in her defense but I was trained from boyhood, well they tried to train me, to serve females unquestioningly. Pain could follow any offence, even over-protectiveness…and though I know in my heart that Jaenelle would never hurt me…I still walk the same line."

"Why don't you ask Lucivar for help?"

"Did you see how he treated Lucifer?"

"Yes, I saw," Azazeal smiled, "but you're his brother and will he understand why it is hard for you, while he cannot comprehend why it is a challenge for Lucifer."

Daemon pondered this, but he had hoped to get some advise from Azazeal rather than having to admit to his brother that though everyone assumed that he did the necessary fussing over Jaenelle, he really bribed her.

"Excuse me," Azazeal said all of a sudden and went back to speak to Cassie. Lucivar happily left them to join his now quiet brother at the front of the group. Azazeal took Cassie's hand and murmured a question to her as they continued to walk. She thought for a second and then responded at which point Azazeal smiled, stopped and announced, "I think we should be heading back to the Church now.

* * *

When they arrived back at the church, Lucifer was just about to say something to Elizabeth when Lucivar grabbed his arm and whirled him around dramatically. Lucivar, who took fussing very seriously, then proceeded to take it upon himself to detail all of the things Lucifer had done wrong during their walk and to reiterate his utter failure as a member of the male species. Elizabeth couldn't see his face, because he was standing with his back to her, but by the calm way in which Lucifer was waiting out Lucivar's speech, she fully expected him to come back with a snotty remark and see if he could get Lucivar riled up enough to threaten to fight him. It amused her that Lucivar had taken their request to explain fussing so seriously, but when she got a chance she was going to have to ask him to scale it back a notch if he didn't want to get hurt.

Elizabeth had almost turned to join Cassie and Jaenelle who were heading towards the kitchen to get some food together for lunch, when Lucifer turned back to her and she knew she'd done the wrong thing in letting Lucivar loose on him. He looked at her desperately and in his eyes she could see the confusion and despair that he had come to her with when she had called him back after the fiasco with the genocide. In just a few short minutes, he had reverted back to that. All of their hard work in establishing confidence and trust in him that his mistakes would not be punished with abandonment but that he would learn from them, gone!

Lucifer walked slowly towards Elizabeth and she could see Lucivar's annoyed face behind him. She wanted to hurt him but she quickly squashed that feeling because if Lucifer felt it he might assume she wanted to hurt him. When Lucifer reached her, he sank to his knees and leaning back slightly stretched his arms out wide. He looked at her with tears starting to run down his face and he spoke two short sentences in angelic that he slowly continued to repeat. With an anguished and considerably angry glance at Lucivar, Elizabeth moved forward to press Lucifer's head against her belly and he put his arms around her legs. He continued his mantra and Elizabeth spoke back to him in a low voice waiting for him to stop.

Everyone, of course, gathered around this spectacle and Jaenelle gave Lucivar an irritated scowl, knowing that this had something to do with him and his scolding of Lucifer. She then asked Azazeal, "What is he saying?"

After a pause, he responded quietly, "He says: I am your servant. I am yours to command."

"And what is she saying?"

Again Azazeal seemed reluctant to translate, "She says," and he paused trying to find a word to translate the gentle and accepting affirmative that she was expressing to him and finally settled on one, "She says: Yes."

"Why?" Lucivar asked carefully, obviously not pleased with himself but not understanding what had happened.

"It's what he needs to hear. He's more fragile than you would think," Azazeal shrugged sadly, seeing in Lucifer the same fears that would always lurk deep inside himself, "He is what he is. Those are the only two things that he is sure that he can offer her."

"But..." Lucivar started.

"When they wed, Lucifer promised her that he would take care of her but that does not come naturally to him," Azazeal said.

"He didn't even try today," Lucivar said indignantly.

"You don't understand…he's not like you or even me. He obeys remember? He has to learn what it means to take care of her and how to do it. You were supposed to help, but you managed to make him believe that he has already failed unforgivably," Azazeal shook his head sorrowfully, "He wants her to tell him what he was supposed do so that he can do it, so he can try to make it up to her, because if she does then it means she forgives him. He doesn't realize that she doesn't care about what you were complaining about."

Lucivar shot an apologetic glance at Jaenelle and moved off to where Daemon was standing a bit further away.

Lucivar had managed to find the most inappropriate time to confront Lucifer about the things a female needed. As Azazeal had sensed in Cassie earlier, there had been a need rising in Elizabeth that had just reached the level that it pricked at him sharply, but like Azazeal before had asked Cassie, he had absolutely no clue what it was. He had been just about to ask her, well, bother her about it in his adorably annoying way, when Lucivar had harassed him. For whatever reason, Lucifer had accepted what Lucivar had told him were the reasons for her lack of contentment and had only became more and more miserable as the number of offenses grew. Thus simple fact that Elizabeth was hungry, well starving in fact, and the way it pulled at Lucifer were blown all out of proportion by Lucivar unknowingly ascribing her discontentment to much more serious reasons.

Elizabeth had finally gotten Lucifer standing again. She was smiling kindly and slightly mischievously and then she whispered something to Lucifer. His eyes glittered with angelic happiness for an instant before he disappeared.

"I sent him on a errand," Elizabeth said with a small smile, "Lunch will be very…exotic."

Then she went off towards the kitchen with Cassie and Jaenelle following.

When they got there Jaenelle said, "We seem to cause problems between you two and I am sorry."

"Oh, no, take it from me…well, Cassie can tell you too…he's always a bit of a handful in one way or another."

"What set him off?" Cassie asked.

Elizabeth said shyly, "I'm starving," and Cassie laughed immediately.

"That's why Azazeal turned us around, I'm starving too."

They shared a laugh and then Jaenelle's confused expression made them realize that they had to explain. They told her about how the boys can sense needs and desires in them and get agitated until they can fulfill them but cannot identify them without asking. Jaenelle then told them about the Ring of Honor that she had had made for the males and the females of her prior Court and how it had channeled strong emotions like fear and anger to the whole group.

"So, they do fuss then," Jaenelle said.

"Yes, they do in their own way," Cassie, "but luckily only about real needs whereas I think Lucivar decides on his own when Marian and you need to be fussed over." Jaenelle laughed and nodded.

"Lucifer does have some things to learn, though," Cassie said.

"Yes," Elizabeth agreed, "but he actually does better than he thinks, he just not consistent and not always aware of how human I am."

"When Elizabeth was pregnant with their second son," Cassie said, "I'm certain he put Lucivar's fussing to shame. Elizabeth was dying to get him preoccupied with something else but it never worked."

"He'll get the hang of it eventually," Elizabeth said, "And he has learned to deal with your snarly males, right? So that's a step in the right direction."

The girls laughed and raided the kitchen.


	10. Chapter 10

Between Cassie's kitchen and the extra delights that Elizabeth had Lucifer bring, lunch was indeed exotic. They had wine, cheese, olives, meats, fruit, and breads baked fresh that morning from all over the world. It was quite impressive if you knew were everything had come from, however Cassie and Elizabeth had actually become quite used to the world being their grocery store. One item that was significant but only Elizabeth saw the meaning of was the small vase of white chrysanthemums gracing the center of the table. Lucifer had brought them from a field they both knew of where her favorite flowers grew wild, but she had not asked for them. It was a small sign but it meant that her husband was still there.

Lucivar made a point of watching the now quiet Lucifer and noted the singular attentiveness that now marked his manner towards Elizabeth and his complete disregard for anyone else in the room. She bore it as if she were accustomed to it, though Lucivar had never anything like it, and she adroitly gave him little things to do as any good Queen would do if that was what her male needed. He could now understand what Azazeal had been telling him. Lucifer could take care of Elizabeth, but only in this way. He waited on her words unobtrusively but he still waited, not taking initiative.

Cassie and Azazeal were explaining the projects that Cassie and Elizabeth developed for their angels to work on in order to improve their world and the limitations they faced as angels were only allowed to do so much to influence humans as free will had to prevail. This interested Jaenelle immensely and she asked a great many questions that Azazeal answered patiently.

* * *

As lunch drew on the tension in the room regarding Lucifer's display earlier had lessened to a great degree, but as they were about to leave, Jaenelle exclaimed suddenly: 

"Elizabeth! You really must show us this California you live in. I want to see your city and your home. And Cassie tells me there is a great deal of shopping to be done in Los Angeles."

Daemon and Lucivar groaned, knowing Jaenelle's proclivity for exhausting shopkeepers and shopping companions alike.

"_Tilb salman peripsol _is not for visitors," Lucifer said evenly and meaningfully.

It was the first thing he had said all during lunch except to Elizabeth. Elizabeth gave him a strangely shocked look and then glanced at Azazeal who shrugged and ignored Cassie's piercing look. She had finally found out what he thought of her home although she was sure he wouldn't have revealed it to her if it wasn't for his strange mood. He had just equated her home with a circle of heaven, a place where an angel existed in the presence of the divine, a place where an angel worshiped, a place where she was not just a human woman. She could tell that Azazeal knew and felt similarly about Cassie's _salman _but for whatever reason visitors, angelic and otherwise, had always been welcome. Elizabeth's house however was a private sanctuary, but upon reflection, when you examined her personally against Cassie's it made sense. Elizabeth was more than happy to have her horse ranch overrun with angels but her little home had always been a place where she liked to be alone.

"We'll work something out, dear, bring your friend Marian next time and we'll talk about it." Elizabeth said and they said their goodbyes until the next visit.

* * *

Several weeks later as Lucivar stepped through the window between worlds with Marian's hand in his he was irritated. Why had Janelle told her about these visits? Why had she told her about his unfortunate confrontation with Lucifer about fussing? He'd gotten an earful from Marian on these subjects and he was almost grateful that she was madder about the fact that he'd hurt Lucifer than that he'd not told her about this world. 

Introductions were made and Janelle, Elizabeth and Cassie were just about to take his little hearth witch off for a tour of the Church, when Lucifer approached to be introduced.

"Lucifer," Lucivar started and then paused, not sure how he or Marian would be received, "this is my wife, Marian."

Lucifer regarded Lucivar with a strange mix of mischievousness and amusement before turning to Marian and saying, "Well, well Maid Marian and her Prince, though not of thieves I suspect. Oh well!"

Elizabeth and Cassie smiled catching the Robin Hood reference.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Marian," Lucifer continued with a pleasant enough smile but only a nod, and then he turned back to look at Lucivar again with a disconcerting intensity.

After Marian had been dragged off with the ladies to receive not only a tour but also a detailed lecture on the differences between the worlds, Lucivar said to Lucifer sincerely:

"I have been thinking about it and I have some suggestions for you if you will listen."

Lucifer merely nodded and led him to a couch to sit at ease and hear what he had to say. Lucivar launched into a partially prepared speech regarding the needs of a female. He had really done a good job of breaking things down. After he had asked Lucifer if he could keep track of time and received only an arched eyebrow in response, he started by explaining things like the fact that she should probably eat every 4-5 hours or so and should sleep every 16 hours or so, etc, etc. until he'd said everything he could think of and Lucifer had not said a word. Lucivar squirmed a bit under his silent gaze and said finally:

"If I caused you any embarrassment, I am sorry, if it is a matter of honor we can…"

Lucifer's expression changed to genuine mirth and he laughed, "You really are too easy to play with, you know! Embarrassment!" he chuckled and slapped Lucivar on the shoulder rather hard, "Elizabeth is everything, how could it ever be embarrassing to kneel before her and offer myself. You just don't get it do you?"

Lucivar let himself laugh a bit too but in relief.

"But if you want a fight, Azazeal's your man," Lucifer said, "It would be amusing to see your fighting styles matched against each other and it would give the Ladies something to get hot over."

Despite himself, Lucivar's eyes lit up at the prospect of pitting his skills against Azazeal's in a real battle.

"Only if he promises not to do that disappearing thing."

"Oh, of course! That would be cheating," Lucifer responded, "AZAZEAL!" He roared dramatically. Daemon and Azazeal turned towards them and sauntered over, a bit too much like each another, to find out what Lucifer wanted.

* * *

"And so you see, Marian, when we accept their surrender the angels find strength and trust in it and they can be themselves with us and no longer have to search for love and purpose," Cassie said. 

"And when we accept the wildness and violence of the Warlord Princes and Warlords, they surrender and trust us with their lives. So the males are similar but different!" Jaenelle concluded as Marian blinked quietly to herself. She had received much more information than she could possibly process and all of the information was swirling around in her head but she would put it all in its place eventually.

Then they heard Lucifer's call to Azazeal and they also went out to see what the fuss was about.

* * *

Despite the protests of the Ladies, Azazeal and Lucivar were now stripped to the waist and getting ready for a sparing match to the first touch. Lucivar had called in two Eyrian practice sticks and Azazeal was testing its weight and balance while Lucivar moved skillfully though some warm up forms. The women were seated on couches arranged to give the men good fighting space and Daemon and Lucifer were standing side by side, ready to step in if things got too heated, but they looked equally matched in their distain for getting their hands dirty with demeaning hand-to-hand combat. 

When Azazeal was ready, he turned towards Lucivar who finished off his warm-up and turned towards him as well. Azazeal smiled and took up his fighting stance and waited. Lucivar smiled back and began to circle him assessing his opponent.

The match moved slowly at first, as such things do, with each man testing the fighting style of the other. Finally, Lucivar decided on a full on Eyrian attack, with all the power and violence that they are noted for, as Azazeal's style was flowing and defensive. Flying at Azazeal with blurring speed and ferocity, Lucivar looked like a tornado, as he danced around Azazeal, attacking him with devastating blows which were each parried efficiently, but resulted in no attempt to counter attack. Azazeal's eyes were shining with battle fire and he could have won because he could disappear and appear behind Luviar for a strike, he could have won because he could move like lighting, he could have won because his style of attack would have been hard for Lucivar to counter now that he was tired, but instead, as Lucivar's fury increased by the lack of response from Azazeal, Azazeal's defenses were eventually breached and Lucivar struck a blow to his shoulder to end the battle.

Lucifer and Daemon clapped patronizingly, but Lucivar's blood was up now and though he was impressed by Azazeal's skill, he was not satisfied with the challenge that Azazeal had presented.

"Lucifer, you next!" Lucivar challenged still breathing heavily. Before the ladies could protest, he got his response.

"Oh, the gauntlet has been thrown," he smiled at Daemon, "I suppose honor dictates that I must accept!"

"Yes, I think it does," Daemon laughed, sharing Lucifer's amusement at Lucivar's keenness to fight.

Lucifer delicately removed his coat jacket and shirt and, folding them neatly, presented them to Elizabeth with a private wink. He then strolled towards Azazeal, who was also catching his breath, and took the Eyrian practice stick from him and eyed it curiously.

Cassie and Jaenelle asked Elizabeth if he knew how to fight and she had to answer them honestly that she had no idea. He could ride a horse like he'd been doing it all his life, he could dance and when they did it was like floating on air, and he could make love like he was everywhere all at once, but his other physical capabilities were largely unknown to her.

After his inspection of the practice stick, Lucifer shrugged at it and then crouching to a perfect Eyrian fighting stance proceeded to perform an elegant and powerful version of the warm up that Lucivar had completed earlier. After finishing, he regarded Lucivar's open-mouthed shock with an arrogant smile and turned to say to the equally shocked Marian:

"Don't worry, I won't hurt your little sparrow!"

At this Lucivar loosed a wild Eyrian war cry and attacked with all his strength. Lucifer defended with precisely the correct Eyrian move for each of Lucivar's assaults. Furious that Lucifer would only defend, Lucivar back off and roared, "Fight, you coward!"

Lucifer smiled and inclined his head. He then launched into a recreation of each of Lucivar's attacks but in a random order. He was quick, brutal, and powerful.

"_Hell's fire! It's like fighting myself," _Lucivar thought to himself, and then he realized that he was. To end it, Lucivar delved deep into his memory for an obscure move that finally got him past Lucifer's defenses and struck a blow to his opponent's belly.

"Ah, you got me, my friend," Lucifer said with delight and laughed as he caught his breath. It did not escape anyone that Lucifer had just called Lucivar his friend, but no one commented.

"How did you do that?" Lucivar managed as he sucked in air.

"What?"

"Fight just like me?"

"I don't know how to fight really, that's dear old Azazeal's job, besides I'm quicker and stronger than you so the only way to make sure I didn't hurt you was to mimic your strength and skill."

"That's not encouraging!"

"It wasn't meant to be!" Lucifer laughed.

As predicted the Ladies were shyly excited by this display of male strength and their eyes glittered with the inklings of desire that was too raw for them to acknowledge to themselves

Daemon regarded Jaenelle with hunger, his body reacting to her arousement, no matter how unaware of it she was. But there was something else too, a violent haze falling over his vision, a keen awareness of the positions of each of the other males and females in the room…

Daemon jumped as Lucifer came up behind him and in his sage way said, "You cannot deny the rut, Daemon."

"I'm not denying anything."

"Yes, you are, you're terrified."

"You don't understand."

"I may not, but Jaenelle does."

"I could destroy her!"

"And I could destroy Elizabeth with a mere thought, a casual flick of power, but you'd be amazed what love will bring out of you, even when you're completely out of control. She will guide you through it. Trust her or face the consequences, it's simple."

And Lucifer left him then to join Azazeal and Lucivar in claiming kisses and eliciting squeals as they pressed their sweaty bodies against protesting Ladies.

* * *

_In "real" Enochian, the language of the angels:_

_Tilb: her_

_Salman: house_

_Peripsol: of the heavens_


	11. Chapter 11

"I have an idea," Jaenelle announced, knocking Daemon mind back in to focus, "Us girls will go to Los Angeles to shop, while you boys clean up and…"

"NO!" was the resounding response that this idea received, almost simultaneously, from all of the males in the room.

"I don't see why not! Elizabeth says it's perfectly safe and we'll be there during the day."

"We will not let you loose in a city that we do not know," Daemon replied as diplomatically as he could, "Even for only an hour," he muttered under his breath.

Jaenelle pouted at him and then turned to Cassie.

"Oh come on!" Cassie admonished looking at Azazeal who didn't like the idea either, "We'll be fine. We go out by ourselves all the time."

"This is different," he said, trying not to make it obvious that he felt that Jaenelle and even Purple Dusk jeweled Marian were a danger to Cassie.

Cassie stood up and moved close to him, casually putting a hand on his still bare chest.

"But Jaenelle and Marian are our friends," she said bringing her mouth close to his as he looked down at her through his eyes lashes and his body softened. Their lips were very close and he almost moved to kiss her, but then smiled broadly and said, "No!"

Cassie huffed and Azazeal chuckled as she deposited herself back on the couch in annoyance. Elizabeth and Janelle gave Cassie looks of approval at her devious attempt to win her man over and then the women looked to Marian as their next champion.

Marian looked uncertain and she was still somewhat shocked at Cassie's use of her sexuality to try to convince Azazeal, but she started to feel feisty at this quick denial of their ability to venture out on their own on a harmless shopping trip. She straightened herself up and said, "You are all being ridiculous. Janelle has the Twilight's Dawn, I have my Purple Dusk, Cassie's a strong witch by all accounts, and it's Elizabeth's city. What could go wrong?"

Lucivar snorted and muttered to himself before saying, "Everything, everything could go wrong!"

"If I bring my skillet we could go!" she mocked.

"I would feel more comfortable, yes, if you had your skillet, but, no, it would not change my mind!" he growled.

"Well, we're not going anywhere with you lot until you're clean," Elizabeth announced, smiling as if enjoying the idea of assisting in the shower but no enough to let it stop her, "And what's to stop us from just going and leaving you to hunt us down? Now that would be fun!"

"Lady," Daemon said, too quietly, "You don't want to be hunted by a Warlord Prince."

Elizabeth's eyes flashed at him mischievously, "Maybe we do," and suddenly all of the women disappeared.

Daemon and Lucivar reflexively went to the couch and examine it but the girls were well and truly gone. Both of them whirled around angrily at Azazeal and Lucifer. Azazeal looked thoughtful, understanding the little predicament they were in, but Lucifer just smiled and shrugged.

"Is this amusing to you?" Daemon said though clenched teeth nearing a dangerous level of rage that he knew could spark the same in Lucifer and Azazeal.

"My boy, let the girls have their fun!"

"Just because you kneel and submit and let your woman do whatever she likes, doesn't mean that we should do the same!"

"It's not about that," Lucifer said quietly, now with a wicked smile on his face that Azazeal had learned to fear.

"Daemon," Azazeal said, "This is not going to help. Let us get cleaned up and go look for them. They should be safe enough for an hour or so and when we catch them we can scold them. But there's no point it killing each other over this."

Daemon stared at Azazeal wildly and tried to cool his temper. What he said had made sense so why was it so hard to see reason?

"Besides," Lucifer said, with provoking arrogance and amusement, "The woman at whose feet I kneel was kind enough to tell me where she was going before she left and if you're a good boy maybe I'll tell you."

Daemon flew at Lucifer, livid with rage. Lucivar and Azazeal moved quickly to keep them apart. Lucifer regarded Daemon mildly as Daemon struggled to get his hand with the poison snake tooth free, knowing that a blast of Black-power would probably be ineffective, but needing to hurt someone.

"I told you, Daemon, let the rut come," Lucifer said softly and kindly. He looked meaningfully at Lucivar, who had not realized that Daemon had been holding it back, and he understood that Lucifer wanted him to try to get through to his brother on this subject.

"Now," Lucifer continued, as Daemon trembled in his effort to calm down, "I'm going home to take a shower and I will be back shortly. Then we'll go hunting!" Lucifer grinned devilishly and vanished.

Daemon eased a bit and wrenched himself from the grasp of Lucivar and Azazeal to straighten his rumpled suit and sit neatly on a couch.

"Well, what are you two waiting for?" he snapped, "Get yourselves together and let's go!"

Lucivar and Azazeal glanced at each other and then Azazeal lead Lucivar back into the depths of the Church to set him up in a bathroom.

* * *

The ladies, oblivious to the stir that their disappearance had caused were now in the great city of Los Angeles. Elizabeth had first taken them to Starbucks because with the time difference between California and the UK, she hadn't had a proper cup of coffee this morning and she needed one. After a long and confusing discussion about all of the types of coffee drinks one could obtain, everyone finally settled on something and they left with warm cups of deliciousness. 

Elizabeth hated mall shopping, hated it with a fiery passion, so she decided that they should start in LA's Fashion District, moving over later, of course, to the Jewelry District. She figured that, here they could adequately entertain themselves, while the boys kept themselves busy. She had expected that Lucifer would not offer up their location right away and that they might have a few hours to work with.

Jaenelle and Marian stared in amazement at all of the various shops and Elizabeth explained that there were several streets of this and the jewelry section too.

"How will we buy things?" was Jaenelle's first question. "We usually put things on our account at the local shops."

"Oh, don't worry about it, I've got a credit card and I'm not afraid to use it!" Elizabeth laughed and Cassie laughed with her.

"You don't have to do that," Jaenelle said.

"Yes, I do, you don't have any money and besides Lucifer's got more money than God and I hardly ever spend any of it."

"That's an interesting way to put it," Cassie said.

"Oh, and Azazeal's not filthy rich too?" Elizabeth countered and Cassie just smiled back.

Marian was still looking around quietly at all of the stores, not really used to getting excited about buying anything but what she needed for her kitchen or Lucivar's eyrie.

"Come on, Marian," Cassie said taking her arm and leading her into the first shop, "Let's look around shall we?"

* * *

Within twenty minutes, they take fast showers, the boys appeared inconspicuously in the Fashion District, well, as inconspicuously as four intense, suit wearing men can be when they appear out of no where, and they all looked at Lucifer. 

"So where are they," Lucivar snarled.

"Touchy, touchy! Patience is a virtue…or so they say! Did you think she has a homing device or something?" Lucifer chided.

Azazeal laughed, "If we call them, do you think they'll come?"

"Don't be daft," Lucifer responded in good humor, "That will just give us away."

"Well, what we need to know is which of them will be leading the pack and type of things she would be looking for," Azazeal said.

Daemon had been furious when they arrived, truly seething, but listening to the angels actually playing along with this game, some how relaxed him. They must have done this before.

"Jaenelle will have taken over by now," Daemon said a smile starting to play on his lips, "And she'll be looking for clothes and books."

"Well, where dto we start?" Lucivar asked, now determined rather than anger.

And the hunt began…

* * *

_If you're reading and haven't commented, please review and let me know what you think._


	12. Chapter 12

The men hadn't gone more than a few yards before Daemon stopped, closed his eyes slightly, and tilted his head up as if to smell the air. His eyes, when he opened them again, were shining and he continued on purposefully, weaving in and out of people, with Lucivar, Azazeal, and Lucifer trailing after him.

"He's like a blood hound," Lucifer commented and Azazeal smiled in acknowledgement.

"A Warlord Prince on the verge of rut, hunting prey is not a good combination," Lucivar said gravely, "Someone is going to get hurt."

Neither Lucifer nor Azazeal had a chance to comment because Daemon had stopped in front of a store a lazy grin on his face, his hands in his pockets, and sexual heat pouring from him directed into the shop. Lucivar, tensing, thought wildly about how he could protect Marian or himself for that matter against what was so soon to be a male in full-blown rut.

* * *

Inside, Jaenelle's eyes suddenly glazed over and she shuddered and began to walk towards to exit. Fortunately, Marian was next to her and sensed the seductive tendrils that were weaving themselves around Jaenelle. She alerted Elizabeth and Cassie, telling them that they had been caught and that it was time to give themselves up. 

As the four women came out into the open, Jaenelle in the lead, Daemon's eyes glazed over and he saw only the red haze of violent desire, while his seduction spells on Jaenelle ceased as he no longer had the focus to keep them going. Her mind now became clear, and to her credit, she recognized immediately what state Daemon was in, but before she could go anything, he was on her, kissing her roughly. Her mind reeled as her body responded to him and she tried to think of what to do to protect all of the people around them in this public place.

When Daemon let her go, the other women had moved beside their men, behind Daemon. He was still clutching Jaenelle tightly but now he was enraged by the realization of the number of males and females around them. The males were rivals to be destroyed and the females only served to excite him and infuriate him because they were not the one he wanted.

As if not sure which he wanted more, to mount Jaenelle or destroy the intruders, he began lightly kissing her neck at the same time as moved behind her in order to face the most immediate of the threats: Lucivar, Lucifer, and Azazeal as well as the ladies.

"They are not rivals," Jaenelle said calmly but Daemon's only response was to press teeth against her neck and produce a low growl as if dominating a lower member of a pack. This was not good.

Elizabeth knew a little bit about the rut from what Jaenelle had told her, but really had no concept of how violent a Warlord Prince could be. However, she had never felt the need to be afraid of almost anything, so she stepped forward directly in front of them, before anyone could stop her, and said, "Stop it," as one might snap at a disruptive child or a bad dog.

Daemon released Jaenelle neck from his mouth, responding to something in Elizabeth's tone, but then immediately saw her as the focus for the need to destroy.

He smiled wickedly for a split second before launching psychic power at her to destroy her mind. He laughed as he did it and was gathering himself to follow with a body-splattering bolt of power…

* * *

And then there was nothing. Nothing but an iron grip on his throat and on his snake-tooth handed wrist. Nothing but his inner barriers being, not opened, but penetrated as if there was no need to lift them to get through. The Warlord Prince inside him howled but then quailed at the absolute and unyielding power that surrounded his mind and locked his body in place. Daemon did not give in, there was no giving in, there was only the reality of what was happening. An utter calm came over him as the instincts of the rut fell away in the face of such a dominating force. He knew who was doing this and thought casually that power like this should be tempered with love and submission and understood why Lucifer had gone mad with out those things. To have so much more power than everyone else that you could do anything you wanted but really only wanting to be accepted. He had known all along that Jaenelle herself had felt seperated from everyone by her power but now he thought he had a glimpse of what it must feel like. 

Jaenelle blinked and found herself stumbling back from Daemon who was now immobilized in Lucifer's hands. She realized that they were back in Azazeal's church, the others left behind in California, but she did not remember anything after Daemon setting his teeth against her neck.

"Can you handle him?" Lucifer asked gruffly.

Coming back to herself, she replied, "Yes," as confidently as she could. She was actually prepared for this, she knew what Warlord Princes were, but she just hadn't expected the rut to take him at such an inopportune time.

"If you will make a window I will take him home," she continued.

"Do you have somewhere you can be alone? When I let him go, there will not be time to warn anyone near to him of his…condition."

She thought about it and realized that he was right, "I have a cabin, a remote one…"

"Does it have food and supplies?" Lucifer cut her off.

"No…"

"You will stay here with him. There's a bed and food in the kitchen. I will inform the sentries that no one is to be admitted. When it's over let Lucivar or Marian know. If you can't contact them, call myself or Azazeal, we will hear you. How long will it last?"

Janelle was somewhat surprised by these easy and practical instructions coming from Lucifer but grateful because she was clearly not in a state to think of these things herself.

"It may be a few days," she answered, "Will the sentries obey? Someone could get hurt."

"They're angels, they were created to serve," he responded simply.

"Okay," she nodded, "I'm ready."

Lucifer turned to give Daemon's empty eyes a close inspection and then saying rather angrily, "I leave him to you," he disappeared abruptly.

* * *

The immediate and sheer absence of control was like a hole that was flooded almost painfully with the rage and desire that had been held back until Lucifer let him go. Daemon snarled and whirled around searching for his lost prey but still to shaken to see clearly. 

"I am here," Janelle said softly.

Daemon turned on her and crouched slightly like a cat ready to pounce. Rather than flying at her, he stalked her carefully, snatching her up only when he was a few inches away which somehow made the quick movement more threatening.

How he found a bed, Jaenelle did not know, but soon she was lying on a bed under him as he devoured her. She had not realized it until now how trained to please he was. She, being a young girl and a virgin, had simply accepted what he did in bed as the standard, but what he was doing now was exciting and tantalizing in a different way. When he kissed and sucked and licked it was for his own gratification, to fulfill his own raging desires. It was just a bit rough but equally as pleasurable as when he was focused solely on her pleasure. It felt more real, more honest, and more intimate in some ways because this was not a demonstration of his bedroom skills, this was a male intent on his chosen female, savagely lulling her into compliance.

She wasn't worried about getting hurt. She knew the rules of this ritual better than anyone. This was natural. The body wanted to mate and the male would not harm the vessel selected to bear his offspring unless provoked. The female just had to be level headed enough to placate his feral response to anything that could be seen as an obstacle to his mating.

And so Jaenelle gave herself to the experience, even playing with him a little to cause a growl or another gesture of dominance, which actually made him more gentle when she submitted.

* * *

Lucifer returned to the spot where he had left everyone but they were gone. If anyone had seen the look in his eyes in that moment they would have surely died of fright. How dare they leave! Then he vanished again, knowing where Azazeal would have taken them and hating the idea of people in Elizabeth's house even though it was the correct thing for Azazeal to have done. 


	13. Chapter 13

Azazeal watched as Cassie and Marian fussed over a bemused Elizabeth and Lucivar paced, angry and confused. Lucifer suddenly appeared in a fury, as Azazeal had expected, and also as he had expected Lucifer's expression changed completely upon seeing Elizabeth.

It was a feeling Azazeal knew well. How often had he come to Cassie in exactly this state? Still it almost made him blush, not in embarrassment but in a strange desire to be looking at Cassie in that same way. _Have I pleased you? _Lucifer's eyes glittered expectantly with the question and his whole body seemed to somehow ask the same question. And she smiled, rose and put her arms around him and he knew that he had.

Azazeal was the only one, other than Elizabeth and Lucifer obviously, who fully understood what had happened, but even he hadn't been aware that it was possible. When Daemon had lashed out at Elizabeth, she, in her determination, had angrily cast the psychic blast aside and it had dissipated harmlessly. Now, Azazeal and Lucifer had taught the girls how to block psychic power, however, he wondered how long it would take Elizabeth to realize that she had channeled Lucifer's power to do it. None of the angels knew exactly how it worked but many had reported and both he and Lucifer were aware of this phenomenon of mates somehow being able to access their power or their talent without knowing it.

Once she had protected herself that was when the real astonishing thing happened. But then again it was mostly astonishing in that it was possible not in that it happened. Elizabeth must have known exactly what she had intended to do once she got Daemon's attention, but when he attacked her, she must have realized that she could not accomplish it on her own. So in a quick flash of will, she had instructed Lucifer to do it, consciously or unconsciously, it didn't matter, because he had sprung into action and the deed was done.

Elizabeth had always complained, not to him but to Cassie, that Lucifer was hard to manage because he would only do exactly what she said and what she asked today she would have to re-ask tomorrow, there were no standing orders. That had started to change once he had trusted her completely and stopped evil all together. However, what she hadn't realized, but Azazeal suspected that she knew now, was that the problem had mostly been that she had been using only words to express herself to him. Words were limiting, mortals didn't usually understand that, but pure thought works much faster than words that have to put themselves together in the correct order to express meaning. Obviously, Elizabeth had learned how to create an effective command with thoughts and emotions that gave Lucifer the information he needed to immediately act upon her will in a more complex fashion than Azazeal had known they were capable of.

"Are they set up?" Elizabeth asked him for the benefit of the others who would not know what Lucifer had done.

"Yes," he replied smiling brightly, having pulled back from nuzzling at her neck in order to respond, "They will have to stay in the Church because there was no place secluded in their world that had any food or supplies, so I ordered the sentry angels to keep everyone out. Jaenelle will let us know when it's over."

"What?" Lucivar asked in confused agitation.

"He's in rut, they have to be alone and they have to eat, what part of this is confusing?" Lucifer looked at Azazeal, honestly baffled by Lucivar's confusion, probably because his being was still too pleased with itself over his accomplishment to consider that others may not find it so obvious that…

"You didn't kill him?" Lucivar breathed.

"No," Lucifer smiled innocently, but Azazeal knew that by tomorrow, he would remember that Daemon had attacked Elizabeth and circumstances may change.

"Okay, boys," Elizabeth interjected, "I trust that you can fill Lucivar in while we get this place set up for tonight and get dinner ready."

She extracted herself, after some effort, from Lucifer's possession and the ladies went off to the kitchen start on some food. Elizabeth's house was a small one, not at all like Azazeal's Church. There were three bedrooms, but only two had beds. After leaving the cooking in the skillful hands of Marian, who nearly clobbered them when they tried to help, Cassie and Elizabeth put fresh sheets on the two beds and gathered spare blankets and pillows in order to make a sleeping space on the floor in the living room later. Normally Elizabeth would have suggested removing to the larger ranch house, but both she and Cassie knew that it would be teaming with angels displaced from the Church. Marian might have handled it, but Lucivar was not in a state to meet a gaggle of curious angels tonight.

* * *

At dinner Lucivar was calmer, but now his worry for Jaenelle was greater than his concern over their location. 

"She will be fine," Marian had assured him in private when they had spent a few minutes freshening up in their room, "After all I've handled you quite well a few times now haven't I."

He had smiled at her, "Yes, but I'm the most wonderful husband in the world and you're a very feisty little witch."

"And you don't think Jaenelle's feisty enough?"

"She's innocent in many ways, Marian," he had said a little solemnly, "And if he has been holding it back as Lucifer said…"

"She will be fine," Marian concluded with as much conviction as she could muster.

After a pleasant dinner and kudos to Marian's delightful cooking, they settled in the living room to talk for a few hours, but everyone soon wanted to be alone so the couples paired off. Lucivar and Marian had the guestroom, while Cassie and Azazeal took the master suite. At first, Lucifer was annoyed at having to give up their room but as soon as he'd arraigned himself along side Elizabeth on the living room floor, he forgot all about it. Elizabeth, who had a wing under her and a wing over her and a dreamily contented angel snuggled up against her, was pleased at how they had handled the situation when she fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

Daemon slept too that night, though Jaenelle had not expect him to. He had been ravenous with desire but now he slept peacefully enough holding her tightly as if she might escape at any time. She stroked his hair and kissed his forehead taking a few moments to herself before letting exhaustion envelope her. 


	14. Chapter 14

Lucivar woke early the next morning, as was his custom, and watched Marian sleep for a moment before rising. She would be up soon, he was certain, because you couldn't keep a hearth witch from puttering about the house, even when the house wasn't her own, but for now she still slept. She, in her female wisdom, had gotten quite a rise out of him last night, her innocent little hand trailing from his shoulder down and down…she'd known she wouldn't have to get far before he took over. They had fallen asleep exhausted, which was just as well because the bed was not designed to deal with two winged bodies and would have been too uncomfortable otherwise.

Lucivar put on his leather pants and walked into the front room down the short central hallway. He spared a warm glance for the tangle of limbs and feathers that was Lucifer and Elizabeth. The angel opened a lazy eye and then closed it again once he saw who it was. Lucivar then made his way quietly through the kitchen and out into the back yard, where he began his morning exercises.

* * *

Azazeal was up already too and heard Lucivar's exit into the back yard. He would join him shortly but he too took a moment to watch his sleeping lady. Last night he had told her about his fear that Lucifer may have his revenge on Daemon once the delicious delirium of Elizabeth's approval wore off. 

"Daemon has lashed out at her twice now and he threatened to destroy Lucifer's shield around her in his anger over my little lie, but worse than that, he insulted their relationship."

"How did he manage that?" Cassie had asked.

"When you disappeared, Daemon was angry and Lucifer, you know how he is, admonished him to let the ladies have their fun. Daemon suggested that Lucifer only felt that way because he is submissive."

"Well, he is, so how is than an insult."

Azazeal blinked and regarded her seriously, "When one of the fallen chooses to serve again, we do not chose it lightly. We would not expect Daemon to understand but we would expect him to refrain from mocking it."

Cassie raised an eyebrow in question. He was clearly serious about this subject matter but she still didn't understand his point.

"Each angel serves as he or she was created to and for Lucifer it is by submission but just like the rest of us…" he paused here and when he continued he wasn't only talking about Lucifer anymore, "each time we obey, each time we worship…we are choosing you again and again and…we have free will, Cassie…"

She stopped him with a kiss and he let the rest go unspoken. When she pulled back and he moved to kiss her neck she said, "While we are exiled here, I would like you to keep us all occupied and entertained. We will work out a way to deal with Lucifer along the way." She didn't need an affirmative response from him as the way he continued to arouse her body was response enough.

"You've always been my clever angel!" she breathed in his ear. His breath caught in his chest and he shuddered, his mouth faltering on her neck, but he didn't give in. He wanted to, oh how he wanted to, every time she called him an angel he could have lost himself in adoration of her but his damnable control always won out. One of these days he let himself give in, he'd seen the easy way Lucifer and others let themselves be swayed by a word, just one word, and he knew the exquisite joy it would bring, but it was too much for him yet.

Azazeal brought himself out of his reverie and slid out of bed. Then dressing himself, he joined Lucivar in the back yard. He sat on one of the patio chairs and watched Lucivar perform his exercises.

* * *

Jaenelle woke in flames. Hands were everywhere and a hungry mouth pulled at her. She moaned and stretched and finally opened her eyes. When Daemon raised his head to look at her, she saw that he still blazed with sexual need but the fact that he had not restrained her pleasure-induced movement was a good sign. He took her then, slowly and easily, and when she next woke she realized that she was starving. Her stomach growled and Daemon regarding it curiously for a second before glancing at the bedroom door and then back at her a few times. It was amusing how apparent all of his thoughts were when he was in this simple, instinctual mode. If this had been a house he was familiar with, he might have left her here and brought food to her, but in this unfamiliar place…she could disappear. 

"I'm hungry, my love," she said quietly and waited for this to do its work on him.

He rose still naked and taking her hand, led her rather circuitously to the kitchen and placed her on one of the stools. He might have been a good cook, if he'd ever had the opportunity, but being raised at Court, he didn't even have the basic cooking skills that Lucivar had. Well, he was smart enough to have figured it out but now was not the time for experimentation. Jaenelle watched as he mercilessly ravaged the kitchen and put together a random selection of ready to eat food for the both of them to pick at.

Jaenelle eat greedily and this pleased him, but he ate more sparingly. Then, of course, it was back to the bedroom were he made up for the unfortunate period of time in the kitchen when they had not been pressed body to body.

* * *

Lucifer had shortly joined Azazeal and Lucivar in the back yard, when he had heard Marian rise and claim the first shower of the day. Soon after, the boys were treated to lovely smells coming from the kitchen as eggs, bacon, pancakes and other breakfast delights were being prepared. 

Lucifer grinned widely at the happy looks on Azazeal and Lucivar's faces.

"It's Sunday," he said as if this explained it all and to him it did, because every Sunday morning Elizabeth prepared a particularly lavish breakfast, as he had learned the very first morning he had woken in her bed.

After waiting the appropriate amount of time for the ladies to set the table ready for the meal, the men appeared precisely on schedule to sit down and enjoy breakfast with their self-satisfied mates.

When breakfast was over, the dishes cleared, and everyone had made themselves ready for the day, Azazeal took over. The spells that Jaenelle had created to hide Luciver and Marian's gold eyes and wings had worn off, but Azazeal was capable of his own style of illusion that simply made people not notice these differences. As so it was that they embarked on a tour of California which started with the beach and ended with a walk down Sunset Boulevard in the evening, but was punctuated by a visit to the Sierra Nevada Mountains where Lucivar and Marian had soared in giggly excitement over snow covered peaks and through rocky gorges sometimes with Azazeal and Lucifer in tow despite the screaming and laughing protests of Cassie and Elizabeth.

They returned home suitably distracted and tired and with Cassie glowing with pride over Azazeal's mastery of this day.

* * *

The next morning Jaenelle found Daemon no less hungry but more like himself and by mid-afternoon the rut was over. He questioned her shyly but she assured him that he had been a perfect, if wild, gentleman and he was soon satisfied that she was okay and let her contact Lucivar. 

All of sudden Lucivar stopped stock-still and listened. Everyone turned to watch him and waited for him to speak.

"Jaenelle says that is it over, but that she thinks just the men should come first to test Daemon's reaction."

Azazeal regarded him thoughtfully and would have suggested giving them a bit more time but he could see how eager Lucivar was to check on Jaenelle.

"Alright then, if you ladies will excuse us," he inclined his head to Marian and Cassie who both smiled and putting a hand on Lucivar's arm, they disappeared along with Lucifer.

* * *

When the three males suddenly appeared in the Church, Daemon did indeed tense and narrow his eyes, but he had been expecting them, he reminded himself, and found it easier then he had thought it would be to calm down. 

Lucivar went immediately to Jaenelle who was standing next to him and it stung Daemon a bit but he knew that he would have done the same thing if it had been Marian. Azazeal sauntered over to him and clapped him on the shoulder with a strange smile but before he could say anything Lucivar had turned to him.

"How did it go?" he asked quietly because Jaenelle was only a little ways off speaking to Lucifer.

"Well enough I guess, she wasn't hurt and seemed almost insulted that I thought she would be."

"Marian was the same way the first time. I think it's a pride thing," Lucivar smiled.

Jaenelle moved to join them and Lucivar stepped back to give her room, but Lucifer only met Daemon's eyes coldly and walked away.

"Lucifer…" Daemon started and was about to follow him, when Lucivar grabbed his arm.

"Don't."

Jaenelle looked at Lucivar questioningly, but it was Azazeal that answered diplomatically, "Daemon attacked Elizabeth before Lucifer brought you both here…"

"Is she okay?" Jaenelle asked huskily, ready for the worst, ready to put her healing skills to work if they would do any good at all. She now remembered the quick blast of power that Daemon had unleashed before she had found herself here.

"It was blocked," Lucivar said simply and Azazeal knew, because they hadn't told him, that Lucivar didn't know that it was Elizabeth herself who had blocked the attack.

"It's more than that, I'm afraid," Azazeal added, "He would have forgiven you, but you had ridiculed his obedience to Elizabeth and it is that which saved you and a lot of other people's lives. If anything is sacred to a fallen angel it is his relationship to his lover."

"But even he makes fun of it," Lucivar said reasonably.

"No," Azazeal said, "That is just his way of declaring it to the world. Do not mistake his humorous remarks about being a sexual plaything for the real truth. He is a devoted angel and everything he gives to her, he gives just as reverently as I do." Azazeal finished with a glance at Cassie who almost colored.

Daemon just stood there unable to speak. How ironic it was that now, after having felt Lucifer's awesome power as he had controlled his rut instinct, Daemon understood why Lucifer needed Elizabeth, why he needed to be willing to give all of his power over to another's control for the sake of his own sanity!

"What does Elizabeth think?" Jaenelle asked and Azazeal smiled, impressed by her quick assessment.

"She does not know about the insult. She will understand Lucifer's anger though she will not share it. However, if I know her, she will not make him forgive Daemon. They must come to their own resolution."

Jaenelle considered this as Lucifer watched them expressionlessly from the far side of the Church.

* * *

At Cassie's bidding, though she had not expected him to listen to her, Lucifer asked Elizabeth to bring Marian to the Church. Thus, everyone was reunited again and Lucivar could not help but launch into an animated recounting of their flight over the Sierra Nevada's with Marian adding helpful details. Soon everyone, well almost everyone, was at ease though Daemon was clearly avoiding Elizabeth and Lucifer was clearly letting it be known that this was expected. 

Eventually, Elizabeth went to Cassie and Azazeal for an explanation, which she pondered and then nodded.

"I knew it was more than just the attack," she said and then she returned to Lucifer's side.

To everyone's surprise, and mostly Azazeal's, Elizabeth got Daemon's attention and then turned back to Lucifer whose face was still grim.

"Azazeal tells me Daemon mocked your relationship to me," she said just loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Yes," Lucifer replied simply.

"Would you kill him and take your revenge?" she asked.

Lucifer looked at her uncertainly but then replied wickedly, "Well, maybe I would let him die eventually, but revenge, yes, I would take it, quite a bit of it actually."

Elizabeth laughed softly and glanced at Daemon, "And if you had to choose right now between the satisfaction of revenge and submission to me, which would you choose?"

Lucifer just looked at her and then replied, "You know what I would choose and why."

"But does Daemon know?"

"Yes," Daemon interjected, "I know what you mean to him."

Lucifer whirled around to face him, "You know nothing!"

"I understand, Lucifer. I felt the extent of your power and…"

"I could have crushed you even as you railed against me with your pathetic little rage…You think you know rage!" Lucifer roared, "You think you know fury and uncontrollable violence!"

"Lucifer," Elizabeth said softly behind him and his infuriated expression and his entire body softened as it had on the day they had first met their new friends, "I think he understands now what he did not then."

Lucifer studied Daemon's pained face and saw that she was right. He then turned and regarded Elizabeth thoughtfully, his anger subsiding. He leaned down to kiss her gently and then placed himself at her side in that naturally deferential way that always made Cassie shake her head.

Elizabeth had chosen to make them deal with their little misunderstanding before it got too heated and she managed to avoid any violence between them. Azazeal was quite impressed. Hopefully they could all get along now, but getting their visitors home was the first thing Azazeal wanted to do, because he still had a reward to claim for his part in the management of this situation.


	15. Chapter 15

_Chapter 7 has been updated but the way the system works...anyway...see Chapter 7 if you want the updates._

* * *

For days and days afterward, Jaenelle pouted about not having flown with Lucviar and Marian in the mountains of California. Daemon had made love to her for days, well making love may not be the correct term for it, and all she was concerned about was missing out on the fun everyone else had while he was in rut. She certainly knew how to deflate a man's ego. But then again she'd apparently learned a thing or two during the rut that he couldn't remember because she was more…aggressive. 

When they visited Azazeal and Cassie again, it was just the two of them and Jaenelle immediately announced her intention to have a flying excursion too. Azazeal, bless him, talked her out of it on this occasion since the Eyrians weren't there and Daemon couldn't fly himself.

Jaenelle settled for some girl talk with Cassie and Elizabeth while the boys situated themselves for more serious discussions…well that's what they wanted the ladies to believe, anyway.

* * *

When Daemon sat down, he looked at Lucifer to try to gauge his mood. Just because he wasn't going to take revenge on him, didn't mean that he had necessarily forgiven Daemon. 

"I didn't mean to insult you or Elizabeth," Daemon said first, not wanting to start a conversation with this still hanging over them.

"Nevermind," Lucifer laughed softly and waved his hand in a dismissive gesture, "I'm sensitive, or so Cassie tells me."

"And what does Elizabeth say," Daemon said smiling back at him.

Lucifer grinned, "She says I get too caught up in surrendering everything that I forget how the little things appear differently to mortals."

"Little things?"

"You felt it! The little devotions that you had seen were nothing when what I really offer is that kind of power at her disposal," Lucifer said seriously and then a smile touched his lips, "But there is something fantastically arousing about trembling like a supplicant at her feet or in remembering that in one delightful way or another that woman has laid claim to every inch of my flesh. I guess it's just the twisted angel in me still."

Lucifer's eyes glittered with his familiar naughtily amusement and Daemon just shook his head at him and smiled.

"You don't have flesh," Azazeal said grinning.

"I have as much as you, Cassanova, and I use mine better," Lucifer retorted, "Did you know, dear boy," he turned to Daemon, "that this angel here is solely responsible for most of the sexual positions and perversions in this world, but his little women doesn't use half of them!?!"

"Don't start that again, Lucifer," Azazeal said amused more than annoyed, "Just because I developed a few sexual variations here and there over the centuries doesn't mean that I have to use my whole repertoire on her all at once."

"Oh, if only that were the reason!"

"How can you be so certain that it's not?" Azazeal challenged

Daemon was looking back and forth between the two of them with a smile of his own.

"I'm looking for some support for my case here, Daemon. I mean a man with your seductive nature and the skills that you have, isn't it a waste not to…" Lucifer smile faded, "I...forgot about…"

"My service as a pleasure slave?" Daemon asked quietly.

"Now look who is offending whom! You see why I'm so forgiving," Lucifer said magnanimously but then he paused and said seriously, "It is a wound I can see on your soul, my friend, but it is something I could never understand."

"For good or for ill," Lucifer continued glancing at Azazeal, "there is nothing, and I mean nothing, that Elizabeth could do to me that I wouldn't love her for afterward, even in my torment, as long as she allowed it to please her. But you see, that is where the trust comes in."

Daemon looked thoughtfully at Lucifer trying to measure what cruelties she had inflicted.

"No, she is not cruel, nor does she have it in her," Lucifer admitted in response to Daemon's stare, "We only play at pain by your standards. My trust is not misplaced."

Daemon felt a bit silly for assuming, given the direction of the conversation, that Elizabeth could be as cruel as he knew some women could be. He had already seen that Lucifer's love for her went beyond that of simple blind love. And Daemon could see that for all of his gloating about being a slave, while Lucifer would not be able stop himself from seeking to please her even in suffering, Lucifer would recognize the difference if it reached the levels that Daemon had experienced. He might not have always been capable of seeing the distinction but he was now, now that she had shown him what it meant to choose in love.

Then Daemon grinned, "Well, in order to consider the case properly, I think I will need to hear exactly what kinds of things were talking about here!"

"Excellent!" Lucifer exclaimed and Azazeal rolled his eyes but cooperated with the investigation which the ladies had the benefit of later and for years to come, though they never knew the candor with which the boys had discussed their sex lives with that day.

Azazeal, as it turned out, was a master of the arts of seduction as well as having a health dose of creativity that had indeed spawned the many ways in which the people of this world chose to take their pleasure. Daemon was quite impressed and as Jaenelle had noted to herself earlier, he realized just how one sided his own bedroom training had been.

"But you see, Lucifer," Azazeal said after having given his examples of what he had and had not yet shared with Cassie, "I don't feel the need to molest my lover with random acts of lustfulness."

"Now don't you start!" Lucifer said in mock anger, "I'm not random, I'm…adventurous."

"Like a carnival ride, no doubt," Azazeal muttered and Lucifer laughed.

"Elizabeth does not complain," he retorted.

"She doesn't have enough energy to complain," Azazeal countered.

"She's more durable than your delicate witch and more uninhibited."

Azazeal scowled.

"And how is she more uninhibited than Cassie in the bedroom?" Daemon asked, having fun with the angels' little tiff over sexual matters.

Lucifer then decided to explain how his clever lover had ideas of her own while Cassie merely lounged like a Queen and waited to be pleased (this didn't need to be true for Lucifer to feel that accusing her of it was worth while, it merely needed to irritate Azazeal). This made Azazeal's brow furrow but he listened. Lucifer looked at Daemon shrewdly and for his benefit was kind enough to enumerate the reasons why one might actually want to be played with by your lover, why one might want to be tied spread-eagle for their pleasure, and why one might want to plead with ones lover for sexual release (among other acts that got progressively more kinky). Lucifer took too much delight in all things sexual for Daemon not to smile at his reasoning and behind it all Daemon could see that these things added to Lucifer's surrender so they made sense for him...and they were not purely one-sided. And while these things required trust that Daemon no longer possessed and he would never desire them, it seemed to lessen the shame of them somewhat to know that their were those who had relationships in which they could find pleasure in such things (even if they were merely playful recreations of real torture he had endured).

"Hmm," Daemon said, "I don't see why it should be one way or the other."

At this both Lucifer and Azazeal regarded him with cheerful irritation. They had wanted a judgment on the matter that he simply could not provide.

Then somehow, in a quick and witty exchange that had Daemon's head spinning and Azazeal beaming triumphantly, Lucifer was forced to grudgingly admit that, just like Azazeal and Cassie, he and Elizabeth spent more of their time as tender and ardent lovers rather than as wild deviants.

"Azazeal," Lucifer said, defeated but somehow enjoying the humbleness of being found out as a mostly gentle lover who did indeed respond to a kind hand, "have you ever slept with Cassie between your wings?"

"Often," Azazeal smiled slyly.

"Why didn't you tell me it felt so good?"

"Because I don't tell you everything!"


	16. Chapter 16

_I have not yet read Tangled Webs so I don't actually know if that book has a real Halloween theme or just a spooky house._

* * *

As it turned out the seasons and holidays were not exactly same between the two worlds, but a year after their first meeting Cassie insisted that Jaenelle and the rest of her family join them for their annual Halloween celebration. It would be different this year, as only family and a select few angels would be invited so as not to overwhelm their exotic guests. Azazeal had been left to explain to the rest of the rather large community of angels who were not invited that they would need to hold their party elsewhere, but once Elizabeth had volunteered the ranch for their party, all was well. Angels just love to gather! 

Cassie had tried to explain that one should dress up as something for Halloween but Jaenelle only asked, "Like what?"

"Like anything other that what you are?"

Jaenelle thought about it but Cassie was not sure how it would work out. Actually, at Cassie's parties they never dressed up for Halloween either, except for the kids, but this year she thought it would be fun.

* * *

On the evening of the party, Cassie surveyed her creepily decorated church, the table of delicious refreshments, and smiled to herself. She had outdone herself this year even though it would be a much smaller party. She looked over at Azazeal, dressed as a priest (he thought this was very funny), who was talking to Malachi, their son, who was dressed as a vampire. She saw Ella not far away in her old and rarely seen fallen angel slaying attire but she was caring a wooden stake and garlic to go with Malachi's costume. Ella was deep in conversation with Sara, Cassie's daughter, who was a fairytale princess. There were a few other angels about, most notably Ramiel (as a conquistador and Cassie suspected that the costume was…real) and beautiful blond Araquiel (a beach bum…it had been Sara's idea), who were Azazeal's most trusted friends, as well as Luke and Bryan, who were Elizabeth and Lucifer's sons. 

Just then, speak of the Devil, Elizabeth and Lucifer arrived to open the window for their friends to come over for the party. They were immediately accosted by Luke and Bryan, who separately were relativity innocuous, but together could be almost as mischievous as Malachi. Both were wearing identical deep-red velvet suits and they had little horns growing out of their heads and rather active red tails swishing behind them (not fake, but real…illusions). Elizabeth was an ancient priestess dressed in flowing blue robes with a gold cord belt and a crown of flowers. As Cassie walked up she heard Luke ask with amusement, "Dad, why aren't you wearing a costume?"

"Your mother wouldn't let me," he responded with a fake pout but his eyes were glittering with amusement.

"That's not true!" Elizabeth exclaimed and she turned to Cassie, "He wanted to come…you know…as the Devil…as the actual, real one," she laughed, "I think that's a bit of an over kill. Don't you agree?"

"Yes, of course," Cassie agreed, "That would be too creepy."

"Well, the whole point," Lucifer lectured, "is to blend in with the dead and the demons that are going to cross through this world when the veils between the realms are thin, my dear. Costumes that are not scary are not going to help."

"That's just a children's tale," Cassie said and then jumped as Azazeal came up behind her, "Right?"

Azazeal merely shrugged and smiled mysteriously.

"Well, I think your costume's great," Elizabeth told her.

Cassie was wearing a witch costume that consisted of a long black dress made out of gauzy material that had a cobweb pattern. It had an off the shoulder her neckline, which pleased Azazeal greatly, and it sparkled with crystal accents. She had the traditional pointy black hat, because you had to have the pointy black hat, a pentagram around her neck and old, well-used stick broom that Cassie was quite sure Azazeal had procured from a real witch a long, long time ago.

* * *

Then it was off to have Lucifer open the window and greet their guests, which consisted of Jaenelle, Daemon, Marian, Lucivar, and Surreal. Everyone but Surreal had already met all of the family and the other angels present so introductions were short. 

"Welcome, welcome," Cassie said once all of them were through the window met by the core family, "Surreal, this is Malachi, our son, and his lover Ella. This is Sara, our daughter and her husband Luke, who is Elizabeth and Lucifer's son. And this his Bryan, who is their other son…where's your wife, Bryan?"

"Dancing with Araquiel, always dancing," he smiled and greeted Surreal with a winning smile.

Cassie should have known that these magical people would turn to illusions to create their costumes…they would fit right in from what she'd seen of some of the angels costumes. Jaenelle was an Arcerian cat complete with striped skin, whiskers, and ears (Kaelas had been proud) and she wore an outfit that matched her skin coloring. Daemon was a gypsy of sorts (they travel in all worlds) with a gold earring and splendidly colorful attire that accentuated his deeply brown skin and gave him a cheerful look that Jaenelle enjoyed. Lucivar and Marian were dragons, easy enough since they already had wings. Jaenelle had given them scaly skin modeled after Lorn's body and their gold eyes worked perfectly to finish it off. And Surreal…

"What no costume?" Lucifer chided Surreal. They always had some healthy banter whenever they met, as you can imagine.

"Sugar, I am assassin, that is my costume," she responded touching the knife she wore boldly at her hip that was the extent of her costume.

"If you say so," he smirked.

"Where's your costume, then?" She retorted.

"Do you want to see?" he rumbled.

"NO!" Cassie and Elizabeth shouted simultaneously.

Daemon put a warning hand on Surreal's arm and murmured with a laugh, "Don't provoke him, he's liable to send you screaming your lungs out and hiding in the corner, just for his own amusement."

"I doubt it," she mumbled.

* * *

After that Lucifer excused himself so that he could get into trouble with his sons and Azazeal left to do much the same with Daemon and Lucivar, while the ladies took Surreal to meet everyone else. 

"I like your outfit, Cassie, I take it you're a Witch, I have a similar gown, but I thought you were supposed to dress up as something you're not," Jaenelle said.

"Well, it's not a requirement. I just thought that it was the best way to explain it to you."

"Ah," she laughed.

"What's with the pointy hat?" Surreal asked.

"This isthe traditional hat for a witch. It works as a scary costume for Halloween because in this world they are…well, not actually as real as they are in your world and they were seen as evil. They were persecuted here, you know."

"That's horrible!" Jaenelle exclaimed.

"Well, when the world is mostly mortal, it's hard for them to understand people who have powers that they don't."

"I'll teach them to understand," Surreal grinned.

* * *

When the angel in charge of the music announced the firstofficial dance, the boys suddenly materialized. 

"My lady," Daemon grinned at Jaenelle and offered his hand, which she took with a smile and followed him to the area that had become the dance floor. Lucivar also offered his hand to Marian who took it shyly and said, "Be patient with me," because she will still rather new to dance.

"I always am," he replied and she rolled her eyes.

All Azazeal had to do was smile at Cassie and she floated over to him and they were dancing before she realized it.

"Come here woman," Lucifer said, grabbing Elizabeth and whirling her around in the air before setting her down on wobbly legs. She laughed nonetheless and followed him to join the others.

No one but Daemon, Lucivar, and Janelle knew the court dances so they stuck to partner dances and switched partners for the first four dances of the evening so that each of the ladies had an opportunity to dance with each of the men. You would have thought that they boys had somehow been plotting this all along by the sly grins on their faces, but the ladies couldn't tell for sure.

Surreal had been asked to dance first by Araquiel and then was invited dance after dance by a different friendly angel, but she angrily refused each one and then attached herself to simple Araquiel who obligingly protected her from further invitations and answered all of her questions about this world.

* * *

Eventually once the men had let them go and they returned to their rather complicated and competitive card game that apparently Lucivar had taught them based on some Eyrian training camp game, the ladies naturally found themselves together. Surreal was still happily engaged with Araquiel whose disarming manner had gotten the best of even her. 

"Wow," Cassie said, "I knew Daemon moved with grace, but he is an amazing dance partner."

"I know," Jaenelle said, "He was trained for court. Lucivar knows a thing or two as well, but he was too violent to stay at court too long, so is not quite as polished."

"Well, I still feel stiff out there," Marian said, "but I have to admit, Daemon makes the dance feel more flowing even with my clumsy steps."

"You're not clumsy, Marian," Elizabeth said, "A bit unsure of the steps but never clumsy, dear." Marian smiled.

"Azazeal was very smooth and graceful too, as one might expect," Jaenelle said with a smile, "And that smile of his is enough for you to forget any mistakes he might make anyway."

"And Lucifer," Cassie said, "I've seen him dance with Elizabeth but I would never have believed him to be so good at leading and so in control of his body."

"Well, I could have told you," Elizabeth smiled naughtily.

"So, have you decided," Azazeal said smoothly and the ladies halted their conversation and stared and the grinning angel, flanked by the equally amused Daemon and Lucivar. Lucifer was nowhere to be found.

"Oh, no," Cassie said knowing what he meant immediatly, "The last time there was a bet about something, I think it nearly came to blows so please tell me…"

"Cassie, we just want do know who the best dancer is," he said casually as if there wasn't something probably very important riding on their decision.

"What makes you think we were even comparing notes?" Jaenelle said.

"Because, my dear, you were!" Daemon said his eyes laughing.

The men moved to take their places next to their women and the couples rearranged themselves, leaving Elizabeth on her own loveseat to await Lucifer. Then they merely smiled and waited, making it clear that they were not leaving until they got their answer from the ladies.

"So, we're actually expected to vote then?" Elizabeth asked.

"That should work," Daemon said.

"I want to know what's riding on our decision," Marian interjected.

"Me too!" Jaenelle said.

"Now, now, ladies," Azazeal purred, "That would take the fun out of it, just…"

"Stop it!" Cassie said, shaking her head trying to get Azazeal's subtle encouragement out of her head and then saw the other women following her example.

"I told you to let me do it," Daemon said and then switched to his sexy croon, weaving a seduction spell around all of them, "We know each of you has an opinion, just tell us…"

Azazeal's face was burning with irrigation as each of the ladies' eyes, Cassie's most notably to him, glazed over with desire and he was about to put a stop to it when suddenly a large black panther leaped out of nowhere on to the couch next to Elizabeth, hissing and yowling at everyone. Of course after this little display was over, you could clearly see amusement sparkling in the cat's eyes and Cassie, who had jump up at the cat's appearance, muttered, "Lucifer," under her breath for the benefit of those who hadn't caught on and sat back down.

The panther then proceeded to walk back and forth across Elizabeth's lap a few times before laying down, settling his shoulder against her leg and splaying his long black body over the rest of the couch regally, his tail flicking casually as he inspected the people opposite him. Elizabeth had watched all of this calmly and once he had found his spot, she began to pet him, as if this were a normal occurrence, in long strokes from his head to as far down his body as she could reach, and he purred deeply.

"Well," Elizabeth said with a conspiratorial look at the females, "I vote for Lucifer."

"And I vote for Azazeal," Cassie said.

"Daemon," Jaenelle called out.

"Lucivar," Marian said finishing the ladies twist to this game.

"It seems we have a tie, boys," Elizabeth said innocently.

"Hell's Fire! Now how are we going to assign the forfeit," Lucivar muttered in annoyance.

"I think you should all loose," Jaenelle suggest, "It's only fair."

"Particularly, if the forfeit involves something that we will enjoy," Cassie added with a greedy smile.

"The worst dancer had to dance with Surreal," Lucivar said.

"That doesn't sound so bad," Cassis said.

"That's because," Jaenelle said, "You haven't noticed her fending off your sociable angels and I think she's just about ready to stab the next male who asks her to dance."

"I see, well, that would be fitting I suppose, but I claim another dance as forfeit," Cassie said taking Azazeal's hand and rising, "And what I may require later, I think is better left…unspecified."

Marian and Jaenelle likewise claimed their husband's hands for another dance.

As they had been talking Lucifer the panther had, unconcerned about the proceedings, rested his head and a paw on Elizabeth's thigh and had closed his eyes as his purring became a quieter rumble and then stopped all together. She had let her hand settle on one of his powerful shoulders and he had let out a contented sigh and fallen asleep.

Now Elizabeth smiled at them and shrugged, reluctant to move him, so she watched them dance as she stroked her panther again absent-mindedly.

* * *

Cassie couldn't help but smile at them. She had come to realize how glad she was that Elizabeth was who Lucifer had ended up with. Maybe he had always known deep down that not just anyone would be the right person for him, after all he had asked Cassie to help him find a mate rather than finding one himself, but generally you couldn't credit him with that much foresight. However it had worked out, Elizabeth was perfect for him and that was a blessing because she knew now that in the wrong hands, he could have become something horrible. If he were with someone irresponsible or weak, he would just exacerbate their mortal weaknesses and allow them to bend the rules more and more until they were corrupted. If he were with someone ambitious or ruthless, he would become a dangerous weapon. But with Elizabeth he was merely playful and annoying. 

Lucifer was hers completely; there was no doubt about that. She commanded and he obeyed, but what she mainly chose to ask of him, which worked much better once she had realized that she had to accept the control in order to ask it, was that he try to learn to live as if he were human (well, most of the time). Along the way, of course, she also allowed a good deal of messing around and playing, because she was at heart a fun loving prankster herself.

* * *

Later that night, Cassie watched Azazeal sleeping stretched out on the bed next to her, utterly spent and breathing deeply in his exhaustion and she grinned. He looked so innocent when he slept, not at all like the devious fallen angel she had first met or even the loving but controlledman that he was now. It was the only time he wasn't thinking and planning and calculating…well not the only time… 

Azazeal was like a volcano, building up with pressure under the weight of his own control until it had to be released. And he gave up so much when he relinquished the control, when he abandoned the restraint and the calculation and let pure physical sensation and emotion take over. She felt it in the way his body moved and in the way his mind felt just before he went over the edge, just before the angelic would start, just before she would be enveloped in his warm and gentle love. It wasn't fear or even reluctance, but a small hesitation that to Cassie seemed to be an acknowledgement of the significance of what he was about to do. Even in that he had to have the last word. But when he gave in, there was nothing else like it.

In those moments, he couldn't tell her enough, he couldn't show her enough, he couldn't give her enough before his being would tire of his wild adoration and he would drift off to oblivion still trying to express his love for her. It was such a contrast to his everyday self that she cherished it each time, knowing that this was a part of himself that he shared only with her. Oh, everyone knew how much he loved her, but he was very private about displaying its full depth and his devotion to her.

Cassie rolled over to snuggled up next to him and fell asleep herself.


	17. Chapter 17

_I've started to read Tangled Webs and it apparently takes place only a few weeks after Jaenelle and Daemon are married, so the time line for my little story is off a bit, but I'm just going to ignore that. You may have noticed that I tend to sort of refer to things said or done in the DJT and have the Hex people comment on it as sort of my commentary on what I think about what's going on with the DJT characters in their lives in the books. I'll probably continue to do that as I read TW and we're just going to have to suspend our ideas about the DJT time line a bit because Ms. Bishop didn't give me much down time to work with between Dreams Made Flesh and Tangled Webs._

_If you haven't read to at least to Chapter 3 in Tangled Web, this is a bit of a spoiler, but not an actual plot spoiler_.

* * *

Although the Halloween party went well a year after Janelle and her family had met Azazeal and his, it had taken a few more ups and downs before the boys were as comfortable as they were with each other on that night.

* * *

Daemon was a bit jumpy as he settled down to visit with Lucifer and Azazeal, while the Ladies once again became absorbed in one another. Lucivar was due to join them shortly as well, but he had not yet made his way through the still open window. 

Azazeal and Lucifer chatted about this and that and tried to getDaemon engaged but he just wasn't paying much attention because he was thinking about something else.

After the angels' frank discussion about their sexuality, Daemon was tempted to mention…well, they probably wouldn't understand…but…

"What the hell is wrong with you today?" Lucifer asked.

Daemon swallowed hard. He really shouldn't feel this preoccupied with it and he had already spoken to his father about it…but after the second time, he wasn't as calm about it as he had been after the first time.

"Morning sex," Daemon said simply.

Blank stares from the angels where his father had known immediately what he had been talking about.

"Jaenelle has always been a bit grumpy when she wakes up, but sometimes when she's woken up sharply…Witch is who wakes up."

"Witch?" Azazeal asked in a low and curious voice.

"Witch, Jaenelle is Witch, Dreams Made Flesh," Daemon said quickly, "She's a Queen who is the essence of what makes us Blood."

"So?" Lucifer said with a shrug, "And that makes you jumpy because...?"

Daemon glared at him trying to leash the irrational urge to strangle him for not understanding the significance of what his wife…his Queen was.

"I think what he's trying to say, Lucifer," Azazeal said helpfully, "is that she is the ultimate Witch and the ultimate Queen. And I've told you about their societal structure…more than once."

Daemon nodded, "And if you think males are aggressive, try a powerful Queen, who is also Witch, who has been unceremoniously woken up and has decided that she dominant and she wants sex. It's like the rut in reverse only worse because I wouldn't…I wouldn't defend myself from my Queen…from her."

"Oooo, I want to play with Witch!" Lucifer announced, absolutely delighted.

"Lucifer, no!" Azazeal said but he was already walking over to Jaenelle who was sitting on a couch alone talking to the recently arrived Lucivar, while Cassie and Elizabeth were apparently rummaging around in the kitchen.

Lucifer shouldered Lucivar out of the way to stand in front of her just as Daemon and Azazeal arrived next to him.

"Did you forget what I am?" Daemon purred to Lucifer, his temper dangling from a tread.

Lucifer only shot him an amused glance and, turning back to Jaenelle said, "Witch?"

Something stirred in her blue eyes and the confused smile at their approach left her face. Daemon held his breath, as there was nothing he could do now.

"Wiiiitch!" Lucifer said in a sing-song voice with an encouraging smile as their eyes were locked together.

It had taken a moment for Lucivar to realize what was going on and he was not about to let this crazy angel have anything to do with Witch. He was just about to call in a blade when a hand shot out and caught him around the neck and lifted him slightly off of the ground.

"Come on, honey!" Lucifer coaxed. "Or the winged one gets it," he finished and although the mob reference was lost on Jaenelle, she got the gist and rose to stand in front of Lucifer.

"Let him go," she said in that midnight voicethat sent ripples of excitement and fear down Daemon's spine.

Lucifer's grin widened, "There you are. I liiiike you! If I weren't already taken…well. Now, try it again, this time with feeling, hmm."

"Let…him…go!" Jaenelle said again slowly in the same eerie power-filled voice. She snarled at him and made as if to pounce on him.

Lucifer considered her and then considered Lucivar dangling from his hand, gripping his wrist hard enough to crush bone if Lucifer had been human. He turned back to Jaenelle and said with slight disappointment, "Nope, it doesn't work."

Jaenelle made as if to leap at Lucifer, but Daemon caught her wrist before she sprang. She whipped her head around to stare down her determined but terrified husband.

"No, no, not him, deary," Lucifer said to Jaenelle as Lucivar began to kick at him in fury, "I started this and you scare the shit out of him. I'll let the sparrow go."

Just as he was doing just that, Cassie and Elizabeth returned from the kitchen.

"What on earth are you doing?" Elizabeth shouted.

"Oh, just getting a look at what makes Mr. Sex Appeal over here so jumpy. And I have to say," he continued as Elizabeth and Cassie came closer, "She not nearly as intimidating as you, sweetness."

Elizabeth inspected him closely and then turned to Jaenelle, "What did he do?"

Jaenelle was calmer now and said, "It was nothing. Just a misunderstanding."

"Oh, I didn't misunderstand anything," Lucifer announced, "You've got a nicely developed feral side in there that turns these boys into puddles. And I'm certain it's going to confuse the hell out of all of them when you expect less obedience and more rational thought...and then of course you'll change your mind again. But you do so like turning people around in circles, don't you?"

Daemon glanced at Lucivar and almost smiled. Lucifer was defending them in a way. They being males, would never have thought to complain that their Queen (well all Queens were probably much the same…they were female after all) could sometimes be so oblivious to the command she had over them. She would often go from complete understanding of the Warlord Prince psyche to utter fury over their stupidity and frustration over the situations caused by their need to please, to protect, to defend. Of course, she didn't see it that way. 

"What did he do?" Elizabeth asked again calmly but angrily.

"You may as well tell her Witch because she'll get it out of me anyway."

"Lucifer!" Elizabeth with exasperation, but he wasn't to be stopped on this occasion by something as simple as a word. There was something in his mood today that made him want to pit his power against something worthy of a fight and Elizabeth was the only thing that worked. He wanted to let Elizabeth know the strength that she possessed when she possessed him. He wanted her conquer him even as he dominated her. He wanted to fight against her seduction and be destroyed by her touch anyway,to succumb to the power that only she wielded over him, not in submision but in spite of his defiance. It was a relatively rare mood for him but she still recognized it and could oblige.

"I think we should go," she said as she glanced at Cassie and Jaenelle.

"Be gentle, my love," Lucifer said with a pleased smile, "I haven't bothered to heal the teeth and nail marks from last night," he smirked, "But I think there are still plenty of places left for you to tear to shreds."

Elizabeth couldn't help a naughty smile. She'd apparently wetted his appetite herself last night. She wasn't sure if she would ever forgive him for awaking such savage desires in her over the years but at least he shared them.


	18. Chapter 18

After Elizabeth and Lucifer left and Janelle satisfied Lucivar that she was fine, Azazeal lead the boys away for private conversation. All the while Lucivar was growling to himself angrily.

"He wouldn't know intimidation if it bit him on the balls," he muttered.

Azazeal chuckled, "I think you are well aware of the female power that has nothing to do with physical or psychic strength, Lucivar. Besides, she has a temper you wouldn't expect."

Lucivar just rolled his eyes and Azazeal laughed again.

"Now, what was that about?" Azazeal asked smoothly.

"He's crazy!" Lucivar exclaimed.

Azazeal looked at Daemon, but Daemon just gave him an even stare, so Azazeal said to him, "Well, Lucifer may have exaggerated his point and his pronouncement may have been colored by his own feelings about…service, but he is rarely wrong."

Daemon continued to hold Azazeal's eyes and said finally, "Witch is not someone to be trifled with and I will not stand for that kind of behavior around my Queen."

Azazeal smiled in understanding. Daemon and Lucivar's minds had gone as far as they were going to go in considering Lucifer's point. In their world, that kind of female behavior made sense in the context of their society and their Protocol. It wasn't meant to confuse the males…it was just how the females were and the males were not going to stop fussing or obeying or digging their heels in when necessary, simply because a female got snarly with them when they chose the wrong one.

"When I see him next, I'm going to pound him in to the ground," Lucivar said still preoccupied with fighting rather than considering the matter.

"You can try," Azazeal said.

* * *

Jaenelle sat across from Cassie quietly and thought about what Lucifer had said about her.

"Is he right?" she finally asked Cassie.

"I don't really know, dear, but…when he 'knows' something like that…he generally has a valid point." Cassie squirmed a bit and Janelle considered this. She was very familiar with dealing with his outbursts that often revealed truths that you didn't want to hear.

"I just don't want them to get hurt!" Jaenelle said almost in tears. She knew exactly what Lucifer was talking about "I get so angry when they do something stupid that could get them hurt…and their need to serve and obey and protect is often the cause. All I want to protect them and I end up scaring them because Witch…."

Cassie frowned, "I can't say I feel that way about Azazeal, but…my children, they have more power then I do, but I still fuss over them like they're little kids when they put themselves in danger…and they do, being his and all. They hate it but they put up with it because they know that I need to do it."

Jaenelle smiled back, "I would like to meet them someday."

"Oh, you will. I couldn't keep them away if I tried. And, Jaenelle, trying to protect the ones you love is never wrong, but sometimes we need to consider how we're doing it, I guess."

* * *

About two hours later, Elizabeth and Lucifer returned, not really expecting Jaenelle and the boys to still be there. Elizabeth went immediately to Jaenelle and Cassie, while Lucifer strolled towards where Azazeal was entertaining Daemon and Lucivar.

No soon had Lucivar seen Lucifer, than he unleashed an Ebon-Gray blast that sent him hurdling onto a coffee table, smashing it under him. Lucifer rose slowly and casually, while Lucivar marched over to him with a nasty looking Eyrian blade now firmly in his right hand, ready to cut him to pieces.

Just as he reached Lucifer, who was still standing over the destroyed coffee table, and raised the sharp and glistening blade to cut him from shoulder to hip, Jaenelle and Elizabeth both yelled, "NO!" and Lucivar stopped. His eyes were slightly glazed with killing fury as he held the blade just over Lucifer's shoulder, but it wasn't the Ladies protest that stopped him.

"Why aren't you fighting back?" he growled suspiciously.

Lucifer regarded him benevolently, "She said you deserved to vent your anger. She said what I did was wrong."

"Lucifer, I didn't mean like that," Elizabeth said approaching with the other Ladies trailing behind her and he turned his head to look at her as she shoved a confused Lucivar out of the way, ignoring his menacing war blade.

"How could you ever think….? You think I would really…? Agh!" Elizabeth said.

Cassie and Janelle shared a glance of mutual amusement and understanding as Elizabeth displayed her own anger at seeing Lucifer almost injured…well as much as one can injure an angel who will just heal himself later.

"Just because that one time with Azazeal…that was different…You'd seduced me and I was testing a theory…Agh!" She said again and punched him in the shoulder playfully but not softly.

"Ow," he said with a warm smile.

"Oh, that didn't hurt," she said but she rubbed her hand over where she had hit him and reached up to give him a kiss.

"Well, it wouldn't have if you hadn't…"

"Yes," she interrupted him, "But I'm not the one who likes to keep the marks. Now, are you boys going to play nice?" She added as she and the Ladies eyed the boys, clearly indicating that their desire was that the fighting should stop.

A smile was twitching at Daemon's lips, Azazeal was giving Lucifer an indulgent smile, Lucivar was still not sure what to think about the fact that Lucifer would have let him slice him open, but they all agreed to a truce, like boys caught in a scuffle on the play ground.

"Why?" Lucivar asked when they were alone again.

"She said it didn't matter if what I said were true or not, I went too far," he said simply.

Lucivar eyed him, "And you think our Queen is severe!"

"I told you," Lucifer said, "She is everything. I obey her in everything and it is much more simple than…your relationship with your Queen and she understands that. But I am sorry if I offended you or Jaenelle."

Lucivar considered this and thought that it must be true that Elizabeth understood because if Lucifer was one of Jaenelle's males and he'd done something that ridiculous, she would have scolded him until his ears were ringing. Then Lucivar nodded in approval and soon they were talking about ruling territories as a Warlord Prince and the sights Cassie had been promising Jaenelle that they would see on one of their next visits.


	19. Chapter 19

As Cassie and Azazeal, took Jaenelle, Daemon, Lucivar, and Marian on the long promised tour of the best sights of our world, with Elizabeth and Lucifer's help, Daemon took the opportunity to exert a bit of his own form of dominance. Normally, he wouldn't have felt the need to make such a display, but among these angels his caste and jewels no longer to struck the kind of fear in them that he desired. After their initial meeting there had been some subsequent fights but nothing brutally physical was going to happen without, firstly the Ladies getting very angry, and secondly, him getting hurt. He knew quite well that Lucifer and probably Azazeal could destroy him, but Blood with less power then himself feared darker Jeweled Blood males their whole lives. What he needed was…leverage.

And so for the two days they spent popping in and out of exotic and beautiful locations, he subtly ingratiated himself with Cassie and Elizabeth who he now felt, he had shamefully ignored. After all, they were Queens of a sort too and could also provide him with some useful information…if he could translate their female.

Jaenelle noticed but did not comment. She knew what he was doing and couldn't really blame him and since he was no friendlier with them than he was with the Coven, she had no basis for concern. Besides, she was often on his arm as well and it was very amusing to watch Azazeal and Lucifer who were left to wonder how Daemon could collect all three females with such ease and keep their wandering attention with such effortlessness.

"How the hell does he do that?" Azazeal grumbled to Lucifer on the first day as they trailed behind Daemon who was surrounded by their delighted wives who were actually flirting back. Damn them!

Lucivar and Marian had wandered off by themselves in no small part because Lucivar could see his brother letting loose his seductive nature and had no desire to see what kind of mayhem would ensure once the angels took offense.

"How do you do it?" Lucifer asked.

"Oh, I don't know, I just…but look at him, that smile, that walk, and that sexual heat coming from him. If Jaenelle weren't standing right next to him…!" He cut off his sentence in frustration.

"Yes, she knows, I'm sure of it. It must be a ploy."

"No, I think he just enjoys the attention. Look at them, they're flirting back, touching him, and it doesn't matter if it's just his shoulder or his arm, I know flirting when I see it and they're doing it!"

"Calm down…" Lucifer started, but Azazeal had already picked up his pace and caught them.

"I think we can move on to the next location now, if the Ladies have had their fill," he said with infinite sweetness and cordiality, but Daemon could see in his eyes that his attention to Cassie was working on Azazeal. He guessed that Lucifer's displeasure would soon show itself and then he could let them in on his game.

The Ladies agreed and they left Machu Picchu for the pyramids of Egypt with Azazeal having reclaimed his position as Cassie's escort only to lose her again later in the day.

* * *

The next day went much the same, with the Ladies fluttering around Daemon like moths to a flame and Azazeal stewing. No matter how many times the angels gained their women back, they would get caught up in Daemon's delicate seduction spells and end up next to him again, with that look of yearning in their eyes.

Lucifer, showing wisdom he did not always possess, had spoken to Elizabeth the night before regarding her flirtation with Daemon and she explained his allure. She told him, though already knew, that Daemon was a very beautiful man and that a female will always encourage the attention of such an attractive and exceptional man, even if she has no intention of it going any further than flirtation. She could feel the seduction spells and acknowledge them, and added that indulging in responding to them was fun, but her real intend was to find out more about Jaenelle's husband who she and Cassie rarely spoke to. She also assured Lucifer, as only Elizabeth could do, that he was the only male she intended on loving and…possessing, so he was unconcerned about Daemon's popularity with the Ladies which added to Azazeal's growing irritation.

"Why can't you see it? He's trying to steal your woman!"

"I don't believe that…Did you talk to Cassie?"

"I don't need to talk to Cassie, I can see well enough how she feels about him," he spat.

"Don't be angry with her, she just…"

"I'm not angry," Azazeal said darkly, as Cassie laughed brightly at something Daemon had said and she put her hand lightly on his shoulder, steadying herself as the ripples of laughter shook her body, "I'm furious."

"Azazeal…"

But it was too late. That had been the last straw. Azazeal stormed over to them and grabbed Cassie's arm rather more roughly than Lucifer suspected that he had intended.

"North pole next, I think," he said gruffly and putting a hand on Jaenelle's arm, disappeared with the two women leaving Elizabeth and Lucifer to gather the others and follow.

* * *

"What's your problem?" Cassie shouted angrily as they arrived in the frozen wilds of the North. Jaenelle backed away slightly to give them their space as she knew quite well what was bothering Azazeal.

"Not enough for you am I?" he said with all the rage he could muster but Cassie could hear the old hurt in him underneath the tone. He was always susceptible to feeling like a failure and she let her irritation at his behavior go in favor of the loving smile that always undid him.

The look of hopefulness in his eyes was almost too much for Cassie to bear, but it quickly gave way to his familiar strong and eager love as he smiled back. Just as Lucifer arrived with the rest of their guest, Azazeal bent to whisper in Cassie's ear and her smiled widened.

Jaenelle moved next to Daemon and he watched as Azazeal showed his own fascination with that same spot on a woman's neck that he himself found so intriguing. Azazeal was hovering just above the trance of adoration and was seductively murmuring things to Cassie in angelic that had her eyes well and truly glazed over with ravenous desire and love, as he placed soft kisses on her face and neck. Azazeal's own eyes were filled with such love that it felt like one was intruding to watch them.

"What is he saying?" Jaenelle asked, looking away and nudging Daemon in the ribs to call his attention away from the couple and on to Lucifer.

"It is private," Lucifer said with an unexpectedly tender smile, knowing that Azazeal wouldn't want his words shared, "But I'll just say that no one can compete with him when he's like that." Lucifer finished by glancing at Daemon who shot him a lazily arrogant smile to acknowledge his little game of influence.

To get them focused on something else, Elizabeth turned to Lucifer and complained that she had wanted to show them the northern lights but they weren't appearing right now. Lucifer turned his head to look down at her as she stood in his arms and a smile spread across his face filled with the kind of devotion that only he could offer. He beamed at her and the sky filled with an awe inspiring display of light and color that had Jaenelle astounded and Daemon slightly ashamed of himself, but not too much because he had made his point, he could tell, and his abilities would not be taken for granted in the future.


	20. Chapter 20

_A bit of fluff but amusing…_

* * *

Since the sanctity of Elizabeth's house had already been breached by Marian and Luivar, it wasn't that difficult for Elizabeth to convince Lucifer to let Jaenelle and Daemon visit too. So it was that one afternoon everyone arrived at Elizabeth's little, by everyone's standards, house in Los Angeles, California. She, being who she was, had already planned a nice dinner for everyone and had started preparations early so that she could take them all to the beach for a few hours. She didn't tell them that this wasn't the season for going to the beach, but "you know who" had provided a freak warm day and unseasonably warm water just for this occasion.

Jaenelle and Marian were excited, not because they had never seen the ocean before, but because Elizabeth had told them about surfing and that hanging out at the beach in California was very popular. Daemon and Lucivar couldn't have cared less, but they were always a bit touchy when visiting a new location, as if something might jump out and swallow them and their Ladies unexpectedly. Azazeal and Lucifer did their best to convince them that the dangers of our world are of a different nature then those in their world, but they, being protective Warlord Princes, were never satisfied until they had deemed the area safe using their own senses.

After a quick, very quick, tour, Elizabeth whisked the Ladies to her room because their attire just would not do for the beach. She and Cassie redressed Jaenelle and Marian appropriately, gathered up some towels, and re-met the boys in the front room. Daemon coughed to suppress a laugh at Jaenelle in a Maui T-shirt and board shorts with flip-flops on her feet (he never seen clothes of this type before), but after the initial shock wore off, he was quite pleased by the overall effect. Lucivar gave Marian a curious look but thought it better not to comment since she was shy enough as it was, however she was dressed much the same as Janelle except that she wore a tank top that allowed her wings to flow out behind her. Lucifer and Azazeal were, of course, unimpressed by this attire as they were quite used to it.

When they arrived at the beach around 2pm, Elizabeth first took them near the pier to show them the die-hard surfers who would have been out there even if it had been the cold day that had been expected.

"So they just glide on the water with that…board?" Jaenelle asked.

"Yup," Elizabeth responded, "Haven't you ever been in the ocean before?"

"No, I can swim but….in the ocean?"

"That's what the ladens have ships for," Lucivar said practically, "Why would you want to wallow around in it when you could stay dry on a ship or just use wings or Craft to fly over it?"

"You're obviously not Hawaiian!" Elizabeth laughed.

Then she took them further down the beach away from the surfers to a mostly deserted stretch of beach. Both the angels and Jaenelle had established their own form of sight shield so that whatever they did or however they looked, no one was going to see anything but what would appear normal to humans.

Elizabeth and Cassie spread out their towels, chairs just would have diluted the beach experience, and then with a glint of mischievousness in her eyes that gave the other women their cue, Elizabeth took off her shirt and shorts, and flipping off her shoes, stood bikini clad and smiling. By this time Cassie was following suit and now wearing only the familiar bikini from their excursion to Maui that had been the result of another hunt they had sent the angels on to find them. More surprising was that Jaenelle and Marian had also striped down to a bikini and one-piece suit respectively (Marian was more modest) and they were giggling shyly like schoolgirls. Apparently, the re-dressing in the bedroom had included bathing suits that had been kept secret until this moment.

"I'm going for a swim," Elizabeth announced and the Ladies quickly moved away before their males could stop them, Marian flicking her wings to propel herself out of Lucivar's reach just in time.

Daemon stared after Jaenelle in a paralyzing mixture of desire and infuriation while Lucivar muttered, "She shouldn't get her wings wet, if she hurts herself I'll kill her."

"Oh, lighten up!" Lucifer said, and by now they were very used to his admonishments to let things go. "Between your Craft, our magic, and a few towels, she'll be as good as new in no time."

"Why does she insist on fraying my temper at every opportunity?" Daemon suddenly spoke as a small wave crashed harmlessly across Jaenelle's ankles and he tensed.

"It's not dangerous," Azazeal said helpfully and then more meaningfully, "I know it's hard but you've both learned to relax here if only a little, I can feel it. Let them play a bit. Besides, Lucifer can command the waters, can't you?"

"Yes, my good friend, I can, but more importantly, I know exactly what one should do with wet, bikini clad women!" He paused and waited and Azazeal only smiled at him in amusement.

"Join them!" Lucifer said with a laugh as he began striping off his suit and shoes, throwing the various pieces carelessly on the sand as Daemon and Lucivar stared at him.

Just as Azazeal was about to say something, Lucifer gave him a knowing look and said, "I will spare you my full glory," and marched down the sand in his black boxer briefs that already clung seductively over his back side and joined the Ladies. With a shake of his head, Azazeal began removing his clothing as well, neatly folding each item and placing them on a towel.

"You're really going to go in there?" Lucivar asked.

"Yes, I really am, and if I were you I would not leave my Lady alone with him in that state of….undress."

Both Daemon and Lucivar's eyes narrowed at Azazeal with amusing similarity.

"Did you get a good look at him? Oh, we're all exceptionally attractive and we all have our…special attributes, you're a strong and impressive warrior," he said to Lucivar, "and you're…well, I think we all know what your talent is," he said to Daemon, "but a body like that will not go unnoticed, even by women used to fine specimens such as ourselves. Daemon, you should know a thing or two about that?" Azazeal finished with a smiled designed to let Daemon know that he hadn't forgotten about his mini-conquest of Cassie's attentions using his special talent.

Daemon stared at Azazeal for a second and then their attention was called towards the water as Lucifer picked up Elizabeth and flung her into deeper water as she squealed. A few seconds later, his feet were pulled out from under him and he splashed into the water on his back as a triumphant Elizabeth resurfaced to the cheers of the other women.

* * *

As Elizabeth smiled in victory and Lucifer laughed and rose again out of the water, Jaenelle tugged her arm just in time for her to turn and see three wonderfully, almost but not quite, naked men also coming to join them in the water. All four Ladies went quiet and simply watched the spectacle before realizing that the boys were smiling smugly at them and then further realizing that the other women were inspecting their males. After a short but vicious staring match between the four Ladies that must have spoken volumes to them, but only had Daemon and Lucivar laughing and Azazeal and Lucifer slightly confused, the women backed off and let their momentary territoriality go in favor of having more fun.

Elizabeth taught Jaenelle, Marian, and the less experienced, Cassie, how to handle the waves and when to dive under them instead of letting them smack you in the face. They soon progressed to body surfing, with Jaenelle and Marian using Craft to assist. Marian found that if she pulled her wings in just right she could actually use them to help her maneuver. The boys could not be convinced to do much more that watch, which meant floating around and keeping a close eye on their adventures with Azazeal and Lucifer only doing the same to assuage the worry of Daemon and Lucivar but the angels' attentiveness did not go unnoticed by the Warlord Princes or unappreciated.

After a little over an hour, the Ladies were sufficiently tired and were escorted out of the water, leaning heavily on their husbands. After everyone dried off and colleted their things, it was back to Elizabeth's house for a much longed for dinner.


	21. Chapter 21

_Hold on to your knickers ladies..._

* * *

When they arrived back at Elizabeth's house, they were all tired, their bodies languid with the exhaustion that only sun and sand and salt water can bring. As if in mutual understanding each couple found a secluded spot in the house or in the yard in which to languish together alone for a few moments and regain their vigor. In those quiet moments, the Ladies each reflected privately on the men that had watched over them so solicitously while they had played in the water.

Daemon was masculine beauty personified and his deep brown skin made him look as if he were born to lounge on the beach and soak in the sun. He had a lover's body, not too soft and not too hard, ideally toned and firm and inviting, and one you knew would be a pleasure just to touch. But his eyes held the real seduction, the promise of ecstasy (only that now and no pain since he was with friends who would not mistake the invitation in his looks) and the knowledge of a myriad ways of delivering it. It was impossible not to imaging him touching you, not to dream of his body moving over you, brushing against yours. Shivers at just the thought of that much, had all of the Ladies except Jaenelle cautiously moving on to the next subject.

Azazeal, ah Azazeal, so elegant with his tall but slight form that at one moment looked almost like an adolescent boy before reaching adulthood…and then he would move with his own feline grace, his delicate muscles rippling, and you no longer mistook him for an innocent. This body knew things that belied his sometimes harmless looking face and his unimposing frame. He could change so quickly from serenely angelic to deviously seductive and powerfully persuasive that it kept one's mind spinning. And you wanted to trust him, to hear him speak and believe him, to follow him and learn from him, to give yourself over to his intelligence. And then there was that hint of temptation, an impure desire that threatened to have you throwing consequence to the wind in order to have him.

Lucivar was the epitome of a warrior. Broad and strong, his athletic form with faint scars told the tale of his life in slavery and in battle. Each part of him, each muscle showed the years of training and proclaimed his skill. He was the most physical of all of them, sure of each movement he made, keenly aware of his surroundings, and focused on the reality of the corporeal state. Even at a stand still he appeared quick and balanced, ready for anything. And what would it be like to tame such a wild creature; to make soft what is most often hard and merciless? That was the question all but Marian had to ask themselves, but it was a forbidden question, to be sure, considering his past as a slave, and yet who could not wonder at it?

And Lucifer, he was perfection, absolute, unrelenting perfection. Each time you thought you would find a part of him that was slightly lacking, you would find it instead faultless in curve and angle and…apparent texture. You wanted to touch him, to feel with your hand what your eyes were sensing, not out of lust, but out of a strange compulsion to be in contact with such precision, such beauty. He was perhaps the only being in all of existence that could shed any kind of light on the meager imperfections that were contained in Daemon, Lucivar, and Azazeal's forms. Nevertheless he wore it as only an angel used to such beauty could. He knew he was captivating and yet he swiftly forgot it in his mirth and his attention to Elizabeth. But to think of that body, trembling against Elizabeth's, eyes filled with love and adoration, and to know that when he gave himself to her he allowed her hands to touch not only his flesh but his very essence (because they were ultimately one and the same in an angel), it was a decadent thought. A thought that they had all had on the beach, even the men, before shaking it out of their heads. If that devil wasn't so open about…well everything…they wouldn't have even imagined it but he hid nothing. And while sight of him had brought the unbidden vision differently to each of them, each held the exquisite truth of his extraordinary bond with a simple human woman.

* * *

Dinner was nice and casual. They ate out on the backyard patio since it was such a nice day and their energy was back up after the brief rest before the meal.

After dinner, they retired to the living room and arraigned themselves to continue their conversation. Jaenelle and Daemon actually, sort of, cuddled on the love seat, while Cassie went one step further and lay in Azazeal's lap on the couch. Lucivar and Marian had brought in padded chairs from the living room that accommodated their wings and placed them opposite the larger couch.

Elizabeth was seated in the one armchair with Lucifer sitting on the floor next to her, one leg outstretched and one knee up, an arm resting over his knee. Only Lucifer could make it seem natural that a grown man would be sitting on the floor and yet at the same time like he was sitting at the foot of a throne. Elizabeth had a hand rested on his right shoulder and would occasionally run her hand through his hair absently as she listened to Azazeal. Lucifer was notably calm and silent as Azazeal recounted a story from ancient times for everyone's entertainment in his deep and entrancing voice.

When the story was over, Elizabeth rose and said, "Dessert," and much to her gracious annoyance all of the Ladies jumped up to help.

When the women had left, Daemon turned to Lucifer and said in a low, seductive voice, "I see that males in this world like to be petted too."

Lucivar smirked at this and Azazeal smiled broadly.

"One day, my boy, I will show you the best way to be petted," Lucifer responded with a lazy smile.

"And what way is that?" Lucivar asked.

"In the form of a cat, of course! There is no better form for receiving such attention. Why do you think they're so happy all of the time?"

Daemon and Lucivar burst out in uncontrolled laughter that Azazeal and Lucifer did not fully comprehend the source of, but it was good to see them so relaxed. Before they could explain about the kindred cats, the Ladies had come back with the sweets.

* * *

That night Daemon and Jaenelle got the Master suite, while Lucivar and Marian took the same room as they had the last time they had spent the night here. Of course, this time Lucivar knew exactly how to defeat this small bed and as soon as Marian closed the door an Ebon-Gray shield went up around the room and he turned to her with hungry eyes.

Cassie and Azazeal took the new, second guest room that resided in the same room as the office, but they paid no attention to their surroundings once their mouths locked together. Elizabeth and Lucifer had taken up their spot on the living room floor and were quickly sprawled out all over each other, naked as if they were the only people in the house, and engaging in the slow build up to what would be a tremendous finish.

Daemon was amorous too and something made Jaenelle think that part of it was the inappropriateness of making love in someone else house…in someone else world. She felt him Black shield the room and then there was no room for any thoughts other than wonder at the pleasure he was creating.

In any other situation, you might say that Daemon's sexual heat was driving all of the others to mate, but not so in this case. Lucivar and Marian's coupling was entirely, well not entirely, practical, for the purpose of ensuring that their bodies were tired enough to sleep soundly in this difficult bed. Azazeal and Lucifer, for reasons only the angels understood, had decided now was a fitting occasion for angelic worship and simultaneously let loose with ardent passion the full depth of their feelings. In a strange effect, that thankfully kept itself between the four of them, each angel's song intertwined with the other, amplifying the sensation and though they worshiped different goddesses, the feeling of them united together in this act felt incredibly right, as if hearing the host of heaven joined in joyous song.


	22. Chapter 22

The next morning after breakfast, it was relatively easy for the girls to convince their husbands to let them go for a walk alone around the neighborhood for a while before they headed out for the day. As, you can imagine Jaenelle had not forgotten about the missed flying trip, so the afternoon was reserved for adventure above the mountains again. Daemon was less than thrilled, considering that he would be the only one flying with someone who didn't actually have wings!

As soon as the men kissed their Ladies goodbye and the door to Elizabeth's house closed, Azazeal and Lucifer started fighting.

_Do you know what they're fighting about?_ Lucivar asked Daemon on a spear thread.

_No idea_, Daemon replied.

_Are you sure they're not brothers?_

_I'm fairly certain, but they do fight like brothers, don't they?_

"You give too much," Azazeal yelled.

"And you give to little," Lucifer replied.

"You let her touch you. You…" Azazeal didn't finish his thought, but he was clearly distressed by the idea.

"You knew that. Soul against soul," he smiled as if remembering the feel of it, "Doesn't it seem a bit ridiculous to maintain the barrier between flesh and spirit with your wife?"

"No!"

"What's wrong with you?"

"I'm a realist. You, apparently, are an idealist and as naive as a child on top of it. How can you…?" Azazeal stopped, frustrated.

"It's not always like that, you know," Lucifer said with a warm smile, "I'm not always capable and other times we're just a man and a woman."

"That's not the point!" Azazeal raged.

"Then what is the point," Lucifer snarled back, no longer calm.

"She's going to hurt you. It's inevitable. She's human, she's fallible, she's temporary…and she's going to do something or say something unkind or cruel or unsettling, intentionally or unintentionally, and you'll get hurt and you won't understand."

"It is no business of yours!"

"Look how easily you were reduced to groveling at her feet when Lucivar..."

"That was my fault. I shouldn't have listened to him. She has promised me that I am hers and I trust her."

"But don't you see, she can promise, and mean it, and then do the very opposite and mean it too or go against her own beliefs in frustration and stress and regret it later. SHE'S HUMAN!"

"I know!"

"And I'll have to pick up the pieces!"

"Ah, there it is then, you don't want to be inconvenienced, is that it! Well, don't you worry your pretty little head. You're just angry because I took you someplace you didn't want to go and you're frightened!"

"It's evitable, Lucifer," Azazeal said, ignoring Lucifer's accusation, "She will hurt you or confuse you and she may not mean it but you're too…too invested in her to be able to do anything but take her a face value. Will you believe her when she says it was a mistake?"

"There will be no mistakes!" Lucifer yelled.

"Tell him," Azazeal looked at Daemon and Lucivar finally and received blank stares, "Tell him that they have hurt you too."

Daemon and Lucivar looked at each other and then back at Azazeal with the same blank looks on their faces.

"Men!" he muttered, "You'd think at least amongst your own you could be honest." Azazeal was, unfortunately for him in this moment, only too keenly aware of both the male and female way of thinking. He was not limited by the male construct of thought and feeling, and so was frustrated when confronted by males who were reluctant or unfamiliar with discussing their emotions openly when the need arose.

For a moment, Azazeal looked ready to bash their heads in and the Lucivar offered up the story of his courtship with Marian and how she had rejected his initial proposal of marriage. When he finished the memory of that rejection filled him with the need to have Marian in his arms.

Then Daemon told the story of how Jaenelle had sent him to distract Dorothea and Hekatah, while she readied herself for the Purge. She had promised to marry him when he returned, knowing that the Purge would probably kill her. When he returned, he was told that she was dead and he had barely been able to stand the pain of it. This was the only time Daemon had told this story and in telling it he realized that he had never fully dealt with his anger over this deception.

"You see, we have all been hurt and we will be hurt again. That's the reality of love." Azazeal said 'we' but had not shared a story of his own.

* * *

The girls came back and the looks on the boy's faces let them know that something was not right. Daemon and Lucivar looked glum and Lucifer's face was a mask of defiance.

Azazeal looked smug.

Cassie, knowing Azazeal too well, immediately asked, "What did say to them?"

He only smiled arrogantly and said, "The truth!"

Then the ladies approached to take their men off to find out what had happened because Azazeal obviously was not going to be helpful.

* * *

"He's right, my love," Elizabeth said, after Lucifer explained, "I could say or do something in anger or frustration that might hurt you."

"It is simple," Lucifer replied with a smile, "I will make mistakes and if you are angry with me I will seek to dispel your anger, real or fleeting. If it is only exasperation you will forgive me quickly and I will not dwell on it in distress because I will feel your love for me. And if I do loose your favor, I will still be yours whether you use me or not. There is no one else and I will serve no other."

"Lucifer!" Elizabeth started, but he stopped her before she could go on.

"I made a choice long ago that somehow made me unfit for heaven and for thousands of years, I refused to take responsibility for that choice. I have come to believe, and Azazeal too, that we were sent to the abyss to work our way back to heaven, just like you, and like you we all have fears that we have to contend with. Somewhere along the way, Azazeal has forgotten that when you give yourself, you receive just as much in return. I know you and I will know if I have truly lost you. I have begged for forgiveness enough times to know that will not misunderstand you. And luckily for me you are not capable of turning away from me as thoroughly as God has done and so I know that you will let me remain with you, even if all you will allow me to be is an overqualified guardian angel."

"You will never lose me," Elizabeth said adamantly.

"I know," he smiled with amusement because he did know.

It concerned her but Elizabeth understood why he had still completely ignored Azazeal's assertion. It didn't matter to Lucifer why Elizabeth might be angry. He wouldn't exactly assume it was his fault but you couldn't keep an angel from assuming that it was their duty to act.

* * *

"What is your problem today?" Cassie started off by saying.

"I don't have a problem, it's Lucifer that's going to have a problem."

"What did you say to him?"

"The truth!"

"Yes, you've tried that already, you're going to have to be more specific."

Azazeal paused and looked away from Cassie.

He said finally, "Last night, he and I, we fell into the same…You felt him didn't you?"

Cassie's did not answer right away, "Yes, and you and Elizabeth a bit too."

Azazeal looked at her again, "Are you disappointed that I don't…that I'm not usually like I was last night?"

"No, of course not!" She paused again and then added quietly, "I didn't know there was…more."

"Cassie," he said and reached out a hand to trace a finger along her neck and down the front of her exposed chest until finally lifting it just before touching the first button of her blouse, "There are layers, upon layers, upon layers and so many different ways of expressing ourselves, so many things to show you. But I cannot give what he does."

"I don't expect you to, you're different…"

"She will hurt him because she is human and he is too bound to her, too lost in this experience," he said interrupting her, "He said that I was frightened today but he was wrong. I could give you more, give everything, but it's not realistic to do so." He finished matter-of-factly, as if no input from her was required.

Cassie stared at him, not angry, but not sure what she felt if not anger. She understood, she wouldn't ask more from him that he was willing to give, but did he have to be such a jerk about it? But she knew that in being with Azazeal part of the deal was that he was annoyingly like a real man with real issues.

* * *

**What is Azazeal afraid of? Remember....**

_"Easier than air with air, if Spirits embrace,  
Total they mix, union of pure with pure  
Desiring, nor restrained conveyance need  
As flesh to mix with flesh, or soul with soul."_

**From "Paradise Lost" by John Milton **


	23. Chapter 23

As soon as they were alone, Lucivar pulled Marian close and held her tight.

"What's wrong?" Marian asked.

"Azazeal asked me to tell them if you'd ever hurt me and I told them the story of when you refused my offer of marriage," Lucivar said, fairly evenly.

"But I was under a spell, you know that. I love you will all my heart."

"I know but that day…Marian…"

Marian put her hand on his chest over his heart without thinking and said, "It must have hurt. I know I would have been miserable if…if you had married someone else."

Lucivar made a noise somewhere between a huff and a grumble that indicated exactly how he felt about the notion of being married to anyone else.

"I'm sorry, my love," Marian said.

"Good, and I'll be sure to remind you of that next time you snarl at me," Lucivar said grinning now and Marian pursed her lips, but quickly returned his smile.

* * *

"Jaenelle," Daemon said with more of his sexual edge that he intended as he closed the door behind them, but luckily, well sort of, Witch floating was just under the surface of Jaenelle's mind and so the effect was decreased.

She turned to him as a Queen concerned about one of her males and Daemon wasn't sure if that would help in this instance or not.

"What did Azazeal say?" She asked calmly.

"It's not what he said that is causing my mood, love."

She continued to look at him and waited for him to explain.

"You abandoned me," Daemon blurted out, "You sent me to distract Dorothea and Hekatah knowing that you might not be there…knowing I expected to marry you when I returned. I know, believe me, I know it was my Queen who sent me and I would go again, but…it hurt and it still hurts, that you could not tell me the truth."

The slight chill in Jaenelle's eyes that was Witch faded away.

"Daemon," she said and moved forward to take his face in her hands and look into his eyes, "I thought it was for the best at the time and a Queen's privilege to have her orders followed without question, but…I have to admit that it may have been a bit selfish. I can't bear to see you this way, to see you hurt and if I had told you what might happen to me and you had this look in your eyes…I don't think I could have let you go."

And that, apparently, was all that Daemon needed, the small admission that she had hurt him, but that it had been the only way. He moved past her hands and took her mouth in a sensual kiss that seemed to last forever and had her head spinning for a few minutes after. When she regained her bearings, he was grinning at her boyishly.

"Aren't we going flying?" he asked and her faces brightened with delight.

* * *

Cassie quickly left Azazeal in their guest room at Elizabeth's house before she said anything that she regretted. She found Lucifer in the living room alone, playing with Elizabeth's Ipod, which he guiltily put down once he noticed her.

"Infuriating, isn't he?" Lucifer asked with a devilish smile when he looked up at her from the couch.

Cassie nodded with a frown.

"Ah, well, he's just afraid. He'll come 'round eventually."

"Oh, but he insists that he's not afraid," she said with a sarcastic look "because in reality it's just unrealistic for him to…It's just insulting, that's all, for him to put it in those terms, like I don't know that I'm just a mortal woman and… "

"He doesn't want to be vulnerable, Cassie," Lucifer said, "That's not his cup of tea, so to speak, and it doesn't matter that you're mortal. You still make him feel like an angel, you still fill him with love."

"I know, he tells me as much in the same way you tell Elizabeth, but last night he was…And then all this defensiveness today…I don't know what to think. What was it about you being there that upset him?"

Lucifer smiled indulgently, "You see, Cassie my dear, worship is one thing: it just takes over and it is as familiar and comforting as it is overwhelming. Buuuut…what you felt just the inkling of, because the bastard's got just too much control, was actual, drum roll please, trust."

Here Lucifer paused and Cassie opened her mouth to speak but he interrupted her.

"But not just any kind of trust, of course, real, genuine, open, honest, and complete angelic trust…and trust is a choice…and that's terrifying. In heaven, trusting in God is, well, obvious, not to mention logical, He's our creator, but with you…like I said: terrifying. And you're not the only human to touch him emotionally, you know, this deeply, yes, but that boy's had quite a ride in this world."

"I know, he's told me many stories, and he doesn't have to be vulnerable for me, just not a jerk."

"Yes, actually, he does…well if he wants the full experience he does. He knows it and was just hoping it might creep up on him one day and he wouldn't have to try. I, obviously and as evidenced by the little games I so enjoy playing with my lovely wife, adore the vulnerability of trust and have always been working towards the very experience that he so carefully avoids. Opening up the doors, pealing away all the layers, and standing there, figuratively, in perfect love with no defenses, naked in a way you cannot comprehend… and her presence, her touch, her love washing over me in waves…I experience her in a way I cannot explain. It's glorious, Cassie, sheer ecstasy of spirit."

"I…," Cassie started after Lucifer finished his impassioned speech, "That's what…?"

"Yes, my dear, that was the difference that you felt and my opening up pulled him right along with me, at least part way. But I have practice, he was unprepared."

Cassie stood there silently for a moment, "What should I do?"

"Ah, there you've got me. I know what he needs but I don't know what you should do to help him get there."

Cassie frowned thoughtfully and said after a moment, "Lucifer, why did you choose Elizabeth?"

He smiled a said, "It was the other way around, actually, she chose me. When I told her who and what I was, she accepted me and only rejected the evil. Just like you chose Azazeal when you saved Malachi and stayed with him…and when you saved Azazeal from me."

"Oh, I never thought of it that way."

"Cassie, there are some things that are small to you in human terms but are significant events in angelic terms. For me, when Elizabeth," he laughed to himself, "When she finally asked me to do something for her, it was as if she pointed her finger at me and said, 'You, Lucifer, you are mine' and that was something I had been wanting to hear for a very long time. And I know you think I'm insane, with my penchant for kinky sex and over-zealous acquiescence to anything she wants, but, you see, there are a limited number of ways in which I can express my level of love and trust. And, yes, she knows the full extent of what I would do for her. She acknowledges it and takes only what she wants, which together is enough to satisfy my need to give. With Azazeal, you're going to have to look much deeper into things to find out what makes him tick."

"Well," Cassie said, "Thanks for explaining it to me."

"You're welcome but don't you agree that it would have been much better if you'd let me break him for you when you had the chance?"

Cassie laughed and said with a hint of wickedness, "The jury's still out on that issue, but I'll let you know if your services are required."

"Atta girl, I knew you had it in you."


	24. Chapter 24

* * *

Soaring over the mountains….high over the mountains was more fun that Daemon would have thought, once the terror had left him and Jaenelle stopped joking about dropping him. If Jaenelle could do this with the Twilight's Dawn, he could certainly learn to fly as well. One more thing on his list of things to do!

As the eight of them congregated on a steep ridge, Daemon could see that, while Azazeal was being his cordial self, he was still a bit testy and Cassie was not enamored with him today. Whatever had been said between the two of them after Azazeal's short speech about females always hurting males, was not good. Normally, Daemon wouldn't have made a point of interfering but he did know more that he wanted to about the female species and his talk with Jaenelle had him feeling very capable.

Daemon worked his way over to Azazeal, who had already been abandoned by the irritated Cassie. As the other talked amongst themselves, he approached him and asked, "Do those come in any other colors?" indicating his feathery wings.

Azazeal looked at him as if he were interrupting something very important even though he had only been staring out over the mountain range with his back towards everyone.

"They're not a fashion accessory," Azazeal said finally, "They're…they used to be how we reached heaven."

"And now?"

Azazeal stretched out a wing slightly and inspected it. The main body of the wing was white but the edges were a brilliant red and gold in tones that assured you would not mistake these wings for those of any natural creature.

"They are just illusions. Reminders of what used to be," Azazeal concluded solemnly and then turned back to look out over the view again.

"But I thought Cassie was your chance to be an angel again, to serve, to…"

"It can only go so far, Daemon, angels serve, but not simple women who will only hurt them in the end."

Daemon chuckled, "I don't think anyone would call Cassie a simple woman, but all I can tell you is that in my world a woman like her would be a Queen. Males would flock to her and squabble over the right to serve her. But then again, the desire to serve is so ingrained in us that it overpowers any thoughts of possible harm or distress. We surrender and we trust, Azazeal, it's what we were born for."

"We're not like you," Azazeal said stiffly.

Thinking he would try a different angle, Daemon said, "Lucifer doesn't seem to have a problem…"

"That's because he's deluded himself into believing she's some kind of goddess and they belong together and so on and so forth in infinity annoying cuteness."

"I don't think…"

"His capacity for deluding himself is legendary," Azazeal pronounced in such a way as to let Daemon know that the conversation was over.

Daemon regarded Azazeal for a moment before moving off back towards the group.

* * *

Azazeal was not proud of himself for shrinking back from trusting Cassie, but once it had happened his panic and shame and brought out his nasty streak. He wasn't worried about getting back on her good side, that had never been a problem, but it would require the use of his particular talent. She had always been leery of his gift of persuasion, which many times amounted to manipulation, but she had, over the years, come to appreciate its usefulness and see how it could be used for good. For Azazeal however this was still a sore spot. He'd never stopped worrying about her fully accepting that part of him, even now, even after all they time they'd spent together and all the times she'd asked him to use it. But, he knew too well, how quickly a woman could change her mind and how close he would always be to offending her sense of what was too much.

Of course, even he admitted to himself that he'd never really given her a chance, never laid everything out and asked her to accept it. Daemon and Lucivar had done that, he could tell, but in their society it was well understood that Warlord Princes were wild, powerful, and unpredictable and the right Queen for them would know that the only way to control them would be to accept that. Cassie had none of that innate knowledge and Azazeal was simply not Lucifer, who trusted that if he overstepped his bounds, Elizabeth would merely remind him of his place. Azazeal was not willing to risk Cassie's love for him or trust that she would understand all the intricacies of his angelic nature. She had accepted what she could and asking more would not only risk his heart but would be selfish.

* * *

As Azazeal was thinking these thoughts to himself, behind him another small drama unfolded. The other men and women were engaged in a pleasant conversation, when Elizabeth took a step back to change her position and she slipped on some loose rocks. Suddenly, she was plummeting through the air towards the bottom of the rocky cliff several hundred feet down. Normally, with all of those winged friends around, this wouldn't be much of a problem, but after turning to watch her fall, Lucifer hesitated….

In all of their long years together, nothing of this sort had happened. Sure, she'd had a few cuts and bruises which he would either heal without much consideration or she would deal with herself, but she'd never been in any real danger. And this was different from the day that he had viewed Daemon and Lucivar as threats to her safety because then he had had his rage directed at them. There was no one to destroy or hate this time, nothing to heal, although there would be after she hit the bottom. She just needed him but she was too scared to even think to call to him.

In his head, there was an instant of disbelief that she could fall and then an instant of confusion that she didn't stop her own fall and then the horror took over. The horror that overtakes you in the slow moments before something terrible happens to someone that you love. The horror that humans understand from the first time it happens but that he had never felt.

And then Lucivar growled and made ready to go after her but before his coiled muscles launched him over the cliff, Lucifer was executing a controlled dive and swooped to pluck her out of the sky.

It had only been a split second that Lucifer had hesitated, but it had been long enough to send a bolt of panic through everyone. Now he was slowly winging his way back up with her.

Elizabeth was smiling with a mix of pride and relief and some amusement because Lucifer had the familiar look on his face that showed up when he'd just learned something new. She knew that there were some human things that Lucifer had to experience before he would understand. Now he knew what real worry felt like and that sometimes she would need him to keep her safe. He had always had it in him to fuss over her and act the protective angel but he did it to amuse himself. With this new revelation she was sure he would take a more serious stance on her human condition, because he'd just realized that just because he could fix something didn't mean he would want her to get hurt in the first place.

They landed nimbly on the ridge and he placed her protectively in front of him. Lucivar and he exchanged a meaningful male look, which the ladies could not interpret and Jaenelle suggested that they return to Elizabeth's house.

Azazeal who had been watching from his spot a little ways off had automatically made his way next to Cassie and had put a gentle hand at the small of her back. After Elizabeth was safe again, Cassie turned to him and said with a trusting smile as if the events of the morning had not happened, "You would never hesitate."

He could not help but smile back at her and say, "No, I would never hesitate, but…"

"No," she said, "We'll talk about it later." She turned a little to reach up and kiss him. "Right now you're my valiant protector and a my gorgeous lover and that's that."

He regarded her with feigned doubt, but then circled a wing about her to shield them while he took a more leisurely and sensuous kiss from her.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Azazeal found himself cornered by an irritated Lucifer.

"Listen carefully, cherub, 'cause I'm only going to say this once," Lucifer growled and Azazeal already knew what he was going to comment on, "She, like your precious Cassie, is a goddess (little 'g' if you please) and I don't use the term lightly. They reflect Him like the moon reflects the sun, in their individual way. That's what captivated us in the first place. Now, here's the important part, the more I open myself up to it the more I receive. And, no, it's not perfect. Sometimes life with her confuses me and sometimes things hurt, and our angelic nature is the cause, but it's all we have."

"Look at you, the bringer of light who used to rival the sun and the stars in brilliance, trying to bask in the light of a weak moon," Azazeal scoffed, immediately defensive.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that."

"Go right ahead!"

"They are not like us, Azazeal. They don't need His light and His love in the same way we do. It's both their blessing and their curse. But we're dependent, and you know I like to pretend that Elizabeth's the source, but I know where it comes from and I know what I need."

"I have enough!" Azazeal shouted.

"No, you don't, Azazeal," Lucifer said quietly, "You're willing to exist with less but you need more. And it's there, Azazeal, I know it is, that bliss, that rapture, that ecstasy. You remember it, don't you? Only the idea of it remains, not exactly the feel of it, but I know my weak moon can get bright enough to…"

"You'll never feel the divine presence again, Lucifer!"

"Maybe not, but I'm certainly not going to put up any barriers," Lucifer said and stormed off.

* * *

_Obviously, Jaenelle still being able to fly only applies to my story, as Anne Bishop has not gotten into what Jaenelle can really do with the TD. I, for one, feel she should still be relevantly powerful since she still has Black power. __Tangled Webs__ seems to suggest that she's less powerful now than Daemon, but I would like to think that she just needs more concentration when using the Black to exert her full Black potential…but that's just me._


	25. Chapter 25

On their next visit to the church, Azazeal immediately grabbed Daemon and Lucifer cornered Lucivar, while the ladies merely watched them pair off in curiosity.

Cassie and Azazeal's relationship had evened out to normal, but that was a problem for Cassie. She could let him ignore his fear and hope it would work itself out later but something in her was still angry with him for how he'd handled it. It was his pattern actually, she knew it well, everything's wonderful and then something would trigger his nasty side, usually fear. This time she wasn't going to let him slide by.

"Who would have thought they would become this interested to see each other and almost, dare I say it, friends," Cassie commented.

"Oh, don't jinx, it Cassie, just let it happen."

Jaenelle laughed, "You can't force a Warlord Prince to do much of anything, but if you make it their idea.…well!"

At this, they all laughed.

"But I do have something to ask you both. Do you remember Azazeal's whatever-you-what-to-call-it with the boys last time?" The girls nodded.

"Well, apparently we've got some trust issues and I don't know what to do about it."

"Trust issues? Over what?" Elizabeth said surprised.

"I don't know. We're both are like a well-oiled machine when it comes to our little missions and he loves it, you can see it in his eyes, you know the look Elizabeth. I thought that was what he needed."

"It is, dear, it must go deeper than that?"

"Well, he does have a lurking dark side that I haven't actively worried about in a while but could be a problem."

"And I don't think you should think of him that way," Jaenelle said, "As having a hidden dark side that you're wary of. Either you accept it and control it or it will always be a wall between you. Daemon is capable of destroying whole cities of people and wiping out all evidence of their existence. He's capable of seducing people to their own death. But he's a good man and my acceptance of his violent potential allows him to relax and be that man. If you try to hold it back it will only lash out unexpectedly."

"But Jaenelle, he used it against me when we first met. He seduced me and got me pregnant with Malachi. I can't help but see it as lying in wait for me."

"Oh, that's rubbish," Elizabeth interjected, "You're as bad as him, reverting to your old concerns. He adores you and he trails after you like a faithful hunting dog when you're not actively involved in some plot or other, just waiting for the next adventure. Everything he does is for you: the triumphs and the mistakes. He just needs more reassurance that you realize that."

"Oh, no he's never made a mistake, sometimes he's not successful but he's never done anything bad."

"Now that I don't believe, there are things they can't do but Azazeal does not fail at what he's good at. He's not trying his hardest."

"He wouldn't do that!"

"You realize, don't you, that they weren't solely created to do things that we consider good. They can create as well as destroy. They are above right and wrong to an extent because God supplied the moral playing field and could decide all the rules, like killing all the first-born sons in Egypt. That's why Lucifer's such a handful. He's got no conscious. Now Azazeal's different, but there are things he is capable of, and is probably willing to do for you, that might shock you. But he wouldn't do anything you wouldn't want, so he hides it from you."

"It sounds like he's afraid you won't understand him," Jaenelle commented.

"I love him," Cassie said and stared at Elizabeth for a moment, "But I think you're both right, there are certain things I wouldn't want to know."

"You're going to have to get over that."

"Gee, thanks!"

"I know it sounds harsh but it's the only way to really have him."

"It's what you have, isn't it? Lucifer told me about…angelic trust."

"Ah, now I see where all of this is coming from. You can't have that without being willing to accept whatever he reveals to you and whatever he does in the real world too. But if you do you'll also know that he would never purposely upset you, even though it may happen. And I think you'll find he's capable of more than you give him credit for."

Cassie smiled, "I have to admit, I've always tried to keep things so that he wouldn't have to do something that might make me angry and I've never wanted to mistakenly ask for something he can't do. It might offend him."

"You can't worry about that. Put him to the test, see what he can do."

"Okay, but how do I show him that I'm ready to let him loose and trust him."

"Well, if I know anything about men," Jaenelle said, "I'd say that just leaving him on his own for a bit will cause him to do something to get your attention."

"Alright, no direction from me," Cassie said, "I'll be to busy to have time for him and we'll see what happens."

* * *

A few months later when Daemon, Lucivar and their ladies visited again, Azazeal was on edge. You could see the devious glint in his eyes if you knew what you were looking for but unfortunately Daemon and Lucivar did not. Azazeal, in his state of discomfort, decided that now was about time to punish Daemon for flirting with Cassie. He developed his simple yet oh-so-amusing plan and then first thing he did was let Lucifer in on the plan. And the first thing Lucifer did, which is why Azazeal had told him, was make a wager.

"Lads, let's set up a small wager, shall we? To past the time. I'll bet that Daemon will be the first one to give in to the temptation to steal a kiss from one of the other ladies. I mean they're all gorgeous. Look at them. And one of these days, given the right opportunity…I'm tempted to change my bet and put the money on myself actually, can I do that? Oo, and what if I kiss all three, do I win three times?"

"You're kidding, aren't you?" Daemon said.

"I don't joke about women, my boy!"

"It's ridiculous," Lucivar said, but he couldn't help accepting a challenge, "But if it were possible, I'd have to say Azazeal and no, you can't bet on yourself."

"Oh, well, Daemon's my horse, then. Azazeal?" Lucifer asked.

"I think I'll go with Daemon too."

"Just because I'm three times as sexy as the rest of you," Daemon said rather good-naturedly, "That's fine, be jealous, but Lucifer's going to do it just to irritate us and then we can break his neck."

"Excellent!" Lucifer said, "Winner's get, oh I don't know, to kiss the loser's lady."

"You really don't think about anything serious do you?" Lucivar asked.

"I try not to, now mums the word boys, we don't want them to see it coming!"

"It's never going to happen," Daemon mumbled to himself.

* * *

Now over the course of the next few visits, Azazeal, as only he can, worked fiendishly on Daemon who found himself strangely attracted to Elizabeth. Not like he was to Jaenelle but he couldn't help looking at her and wanting to touch her. Azazeal had told Lucifer that he was going to have him fix on Cassie but he found that it would be much more amusing to himself to have him go after Elizabeth while having Lucifer believe the target was Cassie.

Eventually, of course, Daemon found himself alone for a short moment with the unsuspecting Elizabeth and before he knew it, as if a compulsion spell was pushing him, he wove a delicate seduction spell around her and found himself kissing her. It wasn't a long kiss or a particularly sensual one but beyond the game they were being used for, it did give them a little insight into each other.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" Azazeal said when he caught them. Lucifer and Lucivar weren't far behind.

"Oh, what a surprise I guess I win," Lucifer gloated, "But then again I should have put a clause in there about killing you if you touch my woman! Oh, well, it's Jaenelle's turn now and I think I'll take my time."

"Don't you dare," Daemon crooned dangerously, ready to throw everything he had at Lucifer.

"What? A bet's a bet and you lost," Lucifer said cheerfully and Elizabeth shook off the seduction spell and began to wonder what was going on.

Daemon studied him and knew by Lucifer's rather mild reaction that something was up, "It was trick, you and he were in on it the whole time!"

"Were we?" Lucifer asked innocently.

"Yes, I think you were too," Lucivar said through gritted teeth and stepped next to his brother ready to fight.

"Are we going to fight now?" Lucifer asked in amusement.

"If you don't admit to cheating," Lucivar said.

"He'll never admit to cheating," Azazeal said helpfully, "So I guess it's war."

"Stop it," Jaenelle said, in that voice Daemon could not ignore, as the other women approached just before the boys started throwing punches which would no doubt have been bolstered by their power, "Snarly males, what's going on here."

The point of contention was explained and the women decided that the best thing for now was to separate them. Especially since you could feel the rage crackling between them like static electricity.

"I'm sorry," Cassie said to Jaenelle before she left.

"Don't worry about it. Normally, I'd be furious, but Azazeal compelled him and don't you see this is the opportunity that you were waiting for with him. Besides, Daemon will more than make up for it with his own guilt and I'll end up doing all of the reassuring anyway," Jaenelle finished with a smile.

* * *

"That was uncalled for," Lucifer said to Azazeal, but not without humor.

"What? You really believed I'd let anyone touch Cassie?"

"I didn't think it through that far, but at least I know it was you behind it all, you're a force to be reckoned with."

"He certainly is," Cassie said sliding up next to them and Lucifer regarded her with interest.

"You'll do fine," he said to her mysteriously, "But now I'm upset.

"Elizabeth will make you forget all about it I'm sure," Cassie said with a twinkle in her eye, "And now you'll know to be more on your guard."

"I'll just get into trouble if I'm too jealous," he complained, "But then again, I love trouble and that's a method I haven't tried yet!"

"How are the fussing lessons going with Lucivar?" Cassie asked, diverting him.

"They're not fussing lessons," he replied disdainfully, "I'm just gathering information so I can protect her better, that's all."

"Ah, I see."

"Well, I'll leave you to alone now since I can see that Cassie has something to say to you, Azazeal. I'd give you advise but you wouldn't listen anyway," and he walked off.

They went home and Elizabeth let him play with her and mark her body as his territory, which he did significantly more gently than when she was in a similar mood. His possessiveness was reverent, while hers was, by necessity, adamant.

* * *

"You did a quite a number on Daemon," Cassie said as she laid herself next to Azazeal's naked form on their bed.

"Did I?" he asked arrogantly, expecting her to lecture him and preparing his response.

"Mhmm," she said leaning on her elbow over him, "That's not the kind of manipulation I want from you."

He looked at her and he was caught between his carefully cultivated mask arrogance and agitation that what he'd done had not pleased her. He hadn't done it with any thought as to what she would think of it and was ready for a fight, but her simple pronouncement on his action effected him deeply. He thought back to those times when he had done what she had asked of him and that feeling of accomplishment that spread languidly through him, to his very fingertips, which brought a happiness that he had recently convinced himself to be afraid of. That's what he wanted, that happiness. Not this strange feeling of alienation from her and then he realized something else was missing too.

There she was regarding him thoughtfully, without a hint of the mistrust and wariness that he would have expected from her given his vengeful and manipulative action. There was just disappointment, a soft kind of sorrow, and a calm that had a profound effect on him.

He did not respond to her in words, he rarely did in this type of situation. It was a bizarre twist in his personality that when he really wanted to express himself he abandoned the artfulness of words.

Azazeal's expression changed and he lifted up to brush his lips softly against hers and then waited, undemanding, for her reply. As only an angel could manage, it was as heartfelt an apology as if he'd said the words and begged for forgiveness. He had communicated to her this way before and it always struck Cassie with its simplicity and effectiveness, but she didn't allow herself much time to ponder it as she took his mouth and felt all the resistance in him give way.


	26. Chapter 26

When Daemon next saw Azazeal and Lucifer, the only thing keeping him from attacking them was, of course, Jaenelle. She had assured him up and down that the game and the bet would go no further, but that didn't stop the first thing out of his mouth from being, "If you so much as touch her…"

"Oh, please," Lucifer rolled his eyes, "Neither one of us has touched another women in quite sometime and I'm liable to get my ass kicked out of bed (and believe me it's not worth it), so no one's going to put the moves on Jaenelle."

Lucifer said this with his familiar mix of admonishment and amusement at the same time as being absolutely serious that he did not want to loose his spot in bed. Azazeal couldn't help nodding in agreement with a cautious smile at Daemon.

"I apologize, Daemon, and I don't do that often," Azazeal said with his own style of unflappable arrogance and a bit of angelic manipulation behind it, "And I won't touch Jaenelle either. It was just a game, like yours."

Daemon glanced at Lucivar, who was ready for battle if that's what Daemon wanted but the two of them just couldn't keep their rage hot enough. With only a small amount of regret and secret wonder that they could so easily be disarmed, Daemon and Lucivar accepted a truce.

"Well, now that that's settled," Lucivar said, "Jaenelle wanted us to ask you if you thought your window worked both ways. She wants all of you to visit."

Azazeal and Lucifer smirked at one another.

"As it so happens," Azazeal said smoothly, "Lucifer and I have made a few small forays to test the waters so to speak. I didn't think it was possible but Lucifer reminded me that he had never tried before, only lesser angels, so as it turns out that, yes, we can visit.

* * *

Later that day Lucifer, at Azazeal's curious urging, told the brief story of the only time he'd gotten kicked out of bed. Azazeal never had that problem, always being able to charm Cassie into letting her ire go, but he wanted to know what it might be like if he was not successful. Of course, he should have been prepared for Lucifer's story to be a confidence shaker.

Lucifer couldn't remember exactly what he'd done, well, he could but he wasn't going to tell them, but because of it Elizabeth looked at him with deep disappointment and told him that she would prefer if he slept in the guest room. He had frowned unhappily and repentantly but she did not budge. She went off to bed and he laid down fully clothed on the guest room bed and stared at the ceiling. A half an hour later, he got up and laid down against her bedroom door, where she found him in the middle of the night, curled up in a miserable, half dosing ball.

The bright side was that she had picked him up and took him to her bed, letting him snuggle against her. However, he did not tell them that when she had opened the door to check on him that night and nearly stumbled over him, he had launched into a repetition of the words he had only previously uttered to express surrender when she had needed to use pain to control him. Being away from her had hurt enough that he saw it as a punishment instead of what she had intended it to be, merely a chance for them to cool off.

* * *

Jaenelle was supremely excited to hear that her earthly friends would be visiting and spent a considerable amount of time over the next few visits assisting Azazeal and Lucifer in generating the appropriate illusions for themselves and their Ladies.

Their story was going to be that they were old friends from Terreille from some obscure town that no one would have heard of. They would probably not meet many people other than the Coven but if they did they need to have a cover. The plan was initially not to tell the Coven exactly what they were and decide later when to fill them in.

Their appearances would be fine but the Ladies could not appear laden or of weak power and the angels could not go traipsing around with their bright white power that felt stronger than the Black. As it was well known that only Lucivar and Daemon held the Ebon-Gray and Black, Azazeal and Lucifer developed the illusion of being Red and Gray jeweled Warlord Princes and created mental barriers that would give off the appropriate feel. Azazeal veiled Cassie in an illusion of being a Gray jeweled Queen and Lucifer made Elizabeth into a Sapphire jeweled Queen. He wasn't amused by her choice of power level so he also made her a Black Widow to satisfy himself. They created fake jewels to wear and were all coached and quizzed by Jaenelle and the Warlord Princes so that they would have enough information to keep up the ruse.

Jaenelle, as is her way, managed to convince them all to stay for a whole week, unless problems arose, and made the Hall and the also visiting Coven ready for their arrival.

After Azazeal and Cassie left the necessary instructions for the angels in their absence and Lucifer was reminded several, several times not to make any references to pleasure slaves, the window was created and they all went through.

* * *

Jaenelle had them slip in somewhere where no one would see them and then they hired a carriage to take them to the Hall. Cassie and Elizabeth were plastered to the windows looking at the landscape and the people and murmuring comments to each other, while Azazeal and Lucifer looked unimpressed (of course, they'd seen this all before from a distance). The girls were very impressed by the Hall and the grounds and could only compare it to something out of 19th century England.

When they entered the Hall, Beale was waiting for them as if he had known the precise moment that they would arrive.

"Oh, Beale," Jaenelle said bursting with excitement, "these are the friends I told you about. Would you be so kind as to show them to their rooms?"

"Of course, my Lady, and you'll be pleased to hear that Mrs. Beale is cooking up something special for dinner this evening."

"I'm sure she is," Daemon chuckled and smiled at Jaenelle.

* * *

After the guests were settled and they had arraigned themselves for their stay, they came down to the drawing room to meet the waiting Coven. Everyone was there including Khary, Gabrielle, Aaron, Karla, Kalush, Chaosti, and Morghann.

Upon entering the room, Azazeal scanned the room of friendly and curious faces and saw an audience and a source of information (he loved information). People whose ear he could bend and people who could answer the questions he still had about this strange world. He took Cassie's arm, who was smiling good-naturedly, and lead her right up to Daemon and Janelle to be introduced around the room.

Lucifer, on the other hand, tensed noticeably and narrowed his eyes, upon been confronted with so many people who, in his mind, could hurt Elizabeth. Lucivar had been prepared for this and was waiting near the door.

"No one will try to harm her here, Lucifer."

Lucifer turned his head towards Lucivar and gave him a sly grin before Elizabeth pulled him into the room, and Lucivar was forced to trust that she had him under control.

And so the introductions began with Daemon watching carefully to ensure that no one noticedthe disguises until they were ready to reveal the truth about their guests. Fortunately, Azazeal's arrogance served him well and Lucifer's slight glower was chalked up to the standard Warlord Prince overprotectiveness.

"So how are you liking Kaeleer so far?" Aaron asked after the brief introductions were over.

"Oh it's lovely," Cassie answered for them all.

"We hope to see much more during our stay here and meet some kindred if we're lucky," Elizabeth added.

"I'd be happy to take you around," Khary said pleasantly.

"I'll bet you would," Lucifer grumbled in a low voice but clearly enough that everyone heard and everyone who knew him tensed.

"Oh, you'd make a good bed warmer with your hot temper, I'll bet," Karla said quietly looking up at him from her rickety wheel chair next to him.

"I'm the best bed warmer in existence, honey, and if my leash weren't so short maybe I'd…"

"Lucifer!" Elizabeth interjected beside him, as she could not be certain if he was going to say something naughty or issue a threat.

"Maybe next time, dear," she said to him with feigned disappointment.

"Just ignore him, he gets more excited around new people than a kindred puppy."

"I can see that! Kiss, Kiss" Karla said with an appreciative smile as she rolled off, knowing she'd found someone with her kind of sense of humor.

* * *

Later on, after dinner, Lucifer was getting bored, well not really, but he was not used to having to act "proper" for such a long period of time. In addition, although it had amused him for quite a while to hover over Elizabeth like a watchful protector, he wanted to be alone with her and close to her. To him close to her meant stipping them both naked, it meant burying his face in her hair, it meant letting his hands and mouth wander over her body in luxurious slowness, it meant enfolding her in his arms and sealing her against him as he listened to her breathe and felt her heart beat.

"Elizabeth," Lucifer murmured in her ear and nuzzled at her neck.

"Just a little while longer, love," she whispered back and kept on listening to the conversation, but he was not to be put off. The other Warlord Princes were smirking to each other around the room because type of a display of affection was generally not shown in front of people you've just met. Even Daemon and Jaenelle kept things between them private, except when Jaenelle's…"pleasure" couldn't be contained by Daemons shields.

"_Naneel_, I can heal her," Lucifer whispered still at her neck, hoping to get her attention with this proposition.

"Who Karla?"

"Mmhhmm," he rumbled.

"I'll have to check with Jaenelle on that, but I think it would be a nice thing to do."

"Then can we go to bed?"

Elizabeth laughed quietly, "Alright!" Elizabeth slipped away from him and glided over Jaenelle, but by the time she reached her, she saw that Lucifer was already in front of Karla. He leaned over and put his hands on her shoulders and closed his eyes for a second, just one second, and said, "There you are, deary, good as new," as Karla stared at him in confusion.

"Ah, Jaenelle?" Elizabeth said and she and Daemon looked over to her.

"Lucifer just…he, well, he just healed Karla…"

"He, what?" Daemon shouted in a whisper.

They looked and Lucifer was sauntering over to them from Karla's direction and Karla was watching him as he went, but didn't seem to realize what had just happened to her.

"I told you no," Elizabeth said.

"You said alright," he retorted, "Now let's…"

"You really healed her?" Jaenelle asked with bright eyes.

"Yes, indeed I did, and I want…"

Jaenelle launched herself at him in a big bear-hug, "Thank you!" she said, "and don't worry, I'll tell her I've thought of something new to try or maybe to a series of healings and I'll figure it out, but thank you so much."

"Excellent!" Lucifer declared and grabbed Elizabeth by the hand, who allowed herself to be taken to their bedroom, where no one had any doubt of what would occur.


	27. Chapter 27

The ruse all started to come to pieces after Elizabeth and Lucifer left the group for the evening and strangely it was Cassie that made the first mistake. She and Azazeal were talking with Jaenelle, Daemon, Aaron and Chosti when Aaron made a reference to the former Terrellian practice of keeping pleasure slaves. Cassie smiled and let out a small snort of laughter. You can't really blame her. She was no longer a young woman in years, but with Lucifer's playfulness about the term and her own benign thoughts about what she might want to do with an Azazeal solely focused on her pleasure… She wasn't thinking about the idea of a pleasure slave in the same way that Aaron had meant it. She didn't know the things that had been done to those males for the sake of pleasure.

Daemon had hoped in that instant, when his automatic rage quieted down, that no one would notice her slip, but it was not to be. Aaron and Chosti glared at her openly and Jaenelle changed the subject, but Cassie's apologetic look did nothing to ease their anger. Luckily, the boys obeyed Jaenelle's unspoken request to stand down by her own indifference to the event.

"That did not go well," Daemon said to Jaenelle in the privacy of their room later that night.

"Well, there were bound to be little problems like that."

"Little problems! I had to keep myself from lashing out so I can't image what the boys are thinking. You have to speak to them. Tell them the truth."

"I think about it," she responded thoughtfully.

"Think about it?" Daemon roared, but Jaenelle gave him a look that quelled any further argument and he stormed off to his Consort's suite in annoyance.

* * *

"You certainly looked like you had a good time tonight," Cassie said to Azazeal who, until her unfortunate slip, had woven quite a history for them as well as for Lucifer and Elizabeth as well. He had told the truth so far as he could and had intertwined the rest into what he understood from their world.

"Yes, you know I love an audience."

"Mmm," she said pressing against him, "If only you could have kept me for messing everything up."

"Oh, I have a trick or two up my sleeve that I could pull out to fix that if it's really necessary. We'll see how tomorrow goes."

* * *

The next morning for breakfast Mrs. Beale had created a breakfast spread worthy of the best houses in any realm. Jaenelle and Daemon conspiratorially whispered to each other that they should have guests much, much more often. The Coven and the other guests arrived at their leisure and they began to talk about what they wanted to do that day.

The last to arrive were Azazeal, Lucifer, Cassie and Elizabeth, but the problem was Lucifer. Elizabeth went with Cassie to talk to Jaenelle about Cassie's slip last night while Lucifer when off to make a plate of food. Neither of them thought anything of his mood, but the boyos immediately noticed his benevolent smile and completely un-Warlord Prince like demeanor this morning, even though his disguise was in place. It might not have been an issue if he hadn't been so protective and pushy last night. Interestingly, what they should have been impressed with, and Lucivar was, was that he took it upon himself to make an overly large plate of food for Elizabeth, however he did make an unreasonably small one for himself for being a Warlord Prince who hadn't eaten since last night. He'd never quite caught on to the changing portion sizes that varied from meal to meal in our world either since he eat mostly for the pleasure of it rather than real hunger.

Daemon watched the boyos take this change in and glance at each other to confirm their suspicion that something was wrong. He would have to talk to Jaenelle about this. This ruse was not holding up.

* * *

Most of the rest of the day was relatively uneventful. Jaenelle took them into town without the rest of the Coven (she thought that they would start small and work their way up to the dragons and unicorns). At the end of the day, everyone took a relaxing walk in the garden, breaking away in twos or threes to wander as their fancy took them.

Uneventful, that was, until Chosti and Khary walked around a bush and saw Lucifer prostrated in front of Elizabeth.

* * *

Elizabeth and Lucifer had paired off, of course, and were walking quietly hand in hand, when he stopped her and turned to face her. She knew right away what he intended to do and despite the inconvenience of it, there was nothing she could do to stop it that wouldn't have repercussions later.

Lucifer knelt and looked up at her in love and happiness. About a minute later, he bowed down further so that his forehead almost touched the ground.

Elizabeth would have preferred that this did not happen, but such was his nature. She hadn't done anything last night or today that she could point to as being the cause of this. In fact, last night they had settled for a few gentle kisses and Elizabeth stroking his back until she fell asleep. But she knew, really, deep down that while most of the time the physical was enough for him (and he was fascinated with the physical and by their sexual activities that sometimes stood for something else, not to mention the angelic experiences that it could cause), he would always crave a certain subservience that she did not understand. She could handle the management of his activities and she could handle using him and his power, always directing him towards the good, but it was the simple and tender submission for no reason other than love that was the most difficult to endure.

Despite this, Elizabeth just stood there and accepted it, letting herself think about how pleased she was that he was happy. Chosti and Khary on the other hand were furious.

* * *

"Hey," Khary yelled, not knowing what else to say.

"What are you doing to him?" Chosti demanded.

Before Elizabeth could to anything, Lucifer leaped up with frightening ease and grace, placing himself in front of her so that she could not see anything.

"Don't hurt them," she murmured, but that didn't mean he couldn't scare the crap out of them.

Lucifer stood there glaring at them in righteous fury and let his psychic disguise slowly melt away so that he could enjoy their slow realization of what he was. He let his power surround them and toy with their barriers as a half crazed grin developed on his face. How dare they interrupt them? How dare they direct such feelings of rage at Elizabeth?

Just then Daemon and Jaenelle came hurrying into the clearing because Daemon had felt the boys anger and then terror though the ring of honor he had started wearing again.

"Lucifer," Daemon said and was surprised when he actually turned towards him to listen, "Whatever happened it was a misunderstanding."

Lucifer turned back towards the boys and inspected them.

"They seem quite certain that she deserves their contempt," he replied more reasonably that anyone had expected.

"What happened?" Jaenelle asked them.

"She had him on his knees, my Lady," Chosti answered, "and with the other Queen's amusement at the mention of pleasure slaves, I suspect…"

Lucifer was laughing at this point and let Elizabeth slip next to him, although he kept her safely tucked under one arm.

"I know my place is all, young man. Daemon, will you explain?"

"I will," he agreed and was delighted to see Lucifer lead Elizabeth off and let he and Jaenelle handle the explanations.

Chosti and Khary stared confused and Jaenelle who, upon looking and Daemon for help, received an I-told-you-so look. She took a deep breath and said, "Let's gather up the rest of the Coven because I only want to have to explain this once."

* * *

_Small addition to the last chapter. The second block is a very short story of when Lucifer got kicked out of bed._


	28. Chapter 28

Daemon watched Jaenelle thoughtfully has she composed herself outside the large drawing room where the entire Coven was waiting. He'd never seen her this uncertain before but there was a first time for everything and they were dealing with powers beyond their control.

"They're waiting, dear," he said gently and she glanced up at him with a quick smile before losing herself in thought again.

Jaenelle was hesitating because she wanted to be sure what to say and how to put it. She didn't want to scare them, but she knew that what she was about to tell them was a lot to digest and it was probably inevitable that they would balk at it. Daemon and Lucivar hadn't exactly been models of wisdom and understanding when they had first met these angels. And of course, Lucifer had already let his strangeness out for all to see. She'd just have to…

"I think I may be able to help you out," Azazeal said smoothly and materialized in the hallway. Although he had actually approached them visibly, he still appeared to have come out of nowhere.

"I appreciate the offer, but…" Jaenelle started.

"It's what I do," he replied with a winning smile, "Besides Cassie sent me," he added as if that explained everything.

"But you're an angel too, and while you're not as terrifying as Lucifer can be, you're still not one of us," Daemon explained.

"You just let me worry about that," he said and opened the door and held it for Jaenelle and Daemon.

* * *

As Azazeal introduce himself, giving his angelic rank and titles, and started in on an explanation of what the hell was going on, Daemon watched the expressions on the Coven's faces turn from distrust to simple wariness to avid interest in record time. How did he do that?

But then, of course, there were the glances at him. The looks that said "you knew and didn't tell us." Lucivar didn't receive such looks, however he'd never betrayed their trust before. Despite that, it made Daemon angry. He served Jaenelle just like they did, even though the Court was no longer official, and if she required silence from him, that's what she'd get. How could he betray them if he was obeying her?

Daemon was thinking these things and not listening when he heard Azazeal said his name.

"…and he was been very understanding of our request that our true natures be keep secret initially to allow us some time to adjust to your world," Azazeal finished with a private smirk at Daemon that let him know he had seen the tension developing towards Daemon.

Daemon took a look around the room and saw that he was no longer hated for this concealment and the benevolence towards Azazeal now extended to himself.

"So unless anyone has any questions, I'd like to bring in Cassie, Elizabeth and Lucifer so that we can all mingle before dinner," Azazeal suggested to the swift agreement of all present.

* * *

Only a few moments later the three arrived, being summoned telepathically, which in this crowed was not particularly fascinating.

Unfortunately, Lucifer was in a playful mood and soon had the boyos riled up again with snide remarks and casual challenges of power.

"Do you really have to goad them?" Azazeal whispered to him, "I did such a nice job of calming them down."

"But it's so fun and they're so easily led," he replied, "Besides they still think she's corrupt and you know I can't stand for that."

"But…" and that was as far as Azazeal got.

"Come on, boyos!" Lucifer exclaimed, "I know you want to have a crack at me, everyone always does, strangely just before they scream in terror and cry for their mommies, but don't let that stop you!"

Just as the boys were exchanging looks and gathering their forces, a voice spoke out clearly and forcefully over all of the other noise in the room.

"No!"

It was Elizabeth and at this the challenge left Lucifer's face and a fond smile took its place.

"Come over here," she added firmly, not unkindly, but it was not a request.

"Maybe next time boys. It seems my presence is required else where," and though the words might have come off in a snotty tone, Lucifer said them in a tone that matched his fond smile. There was no annoyance at being called off, but rather a calm acceptance. Without further response, he turned and joined Elizabeth and the circle of Ladies that surrounded her.

* * *

"I told the ladies that we could show them our world, you know images."

"Of course," he replied and the boys, having overheard her request, started to meander over towards them.

Lucifer looked down at the coffee table in front of the couch some of the women were sitting on and immediately everything on it vanished. He approached it with Elizabeth next to him and said, "What would you like to show them?"

With everyone gathered around the table Elizabeth thought for a moment and picked England to start with and proceeded to take them all on a tour of the world. Azazeal watched with amusement the few times Lucifer had to patiently make various adjustments to get the view Elizabeth wanted when she would forget to give him mental instructions to go with her verbal ones. He never bothered to remind her, as Azazeal would have, that words hardly ever conveyed enough information for him to get it right the first time. He just let her give order after order with infinite tolerance and Azazeal suspected that he actually enjoyed it.

* * *

Azazeal thought to himself that perhaps that was what was adding to his reluctance to trust Cassie completely. Sure, he had his issues with the fact that his talent for gaining trust could easily be seen as manipulation, but there was also some shame. Shame that he had come to this, needing a human to feel fulfilled, desiring her approval, wanting to please her. It wasn't that he didn't adore Cassie with everything in him, but he was capable of recognizing the disparity between this and what was in heaven. He knew this existence was less and yet Lucifer didn't see it, or refused to see it, or maybe just didn't care.

And it was all up to him. Cassie was trying and he felt that if he did ask her to accept the fact that anything he might do, good or bad or inspired or thoughtless, was all for her, that she would understand. She would guide him and not judge him. But that would mean accepting this existence and getting beyond the shame. Why did he have to be so human?

* * *

He shook his head at himself and heard Kalush said, "Azazeal said angels have wings."

"Yes, my dear, they do," Lucifer replied as he replaced the items on the coffee table from wherever they had been in the meantime. Apparently the tour was over.

"Show them," Elizabeth said simply and Azazeal noticed again the words she was using were not typical. She always, always, said could you and would you. She only ever forcefully demanded when she had to, but this was different. It was a command, not polite request as usual, but not an authoritative demand either. Just a command, just a simple, confident order that didn't need to be nice and expected immediate obedience.

Lucifer, of course, smiled and with a little seductive glint in his eyes as made room for himself and stripped off his jacket and shirt. His wings grew magically out of his back, quickly reaching their full size. There were some quiet oos and ahs as he ruffled them slightly and set them proudly behind him.

"They're lovely," Gabrielle said.

Morghann, who was the closest to Lucifer on this left side, reached out a hand to touch one but Lucifer snatched it out of her reached and graced her with a look of mild distain.

"Here," Elizabeth said, "You'll let Jaenelle touch them, right?"

Jaenelle rose and walked over to him. As she did, Lucifer considered her carefully, but then extended his left wing toward her in acquiescence.

Azazeal caught his eyes for a moment and wondered of Elizabeth knew what she was asking. When Jaenelle's hand touched his wing and stroked it ever so gently, his body jerked away from her even though he held the wing rigidly in place. Jaenelle looked confused and worried, while the expression on Lucifer's face was unreadable.

Elizabeth rose quickly, as Jaenelle backed away and she clearly hadn't known this would cause a problem. To her credit, she calmed him by first caressing the place where Jaenelle's hand had been, as if wiping away the foreign touch and reclaiming that place as her own.

"They're very sensitive," she remarked as she allowed her hands to wander over his left wing. Lucifer's expression turned pleasure-filled and both wings drooped like a dog's ears when you scratch their head.

* * *

Azazeal shuddered and knew that Cassie, who was standing next to him, noticed. Their wings were sensitive. Even though they were filled with power and could be used to protect, they were also an extension of their physical form. Just coalesced spirit like the rest of their bodies, and like the rest of their bodies, they responded to sensation. And it was a unique sensation, pleasurable, but not quite sensual, though in the bedroom it was hard to feel the distinction. They were a physical manifestation of their angelic nature. The rest of them was human but their wings…they were different, they felt…angelic. It was impossible to describe to feeling but it was more intimate than any other touch and both he and Lucifer had never been touched that way by anyone other than Cassie and Elizabeth (until now). Azazeal also suspected something about the sensation was what had lead Lucifer to the shocking decision to allow Elizabeth's spirit to touch his own in an even more intimate way.

* * *

And that's when it happened, and when it happened Azazeal knew Elizabeth had planned this eventual outcome before she'd even stepped in this room.

Lucifer sank to his knees, his wings trailing haphazardly and yet regally on the floor. Elizabeth stroked his face and ran her fingers through his hair in a tender yet possessive manner before raising her eyes to meet the gazes of those around her. And though she was no longer looking at him, Azazeal was sure she knew that Lucifer had raised his eyes to her with that expression of undiluted adoration.

She didn't say anything but challenged everyone in the room to condemn her. She had clearly displayed her control over him and he had willingly acceded to everything she had asked of him. He knelt now of his own volition just as before. You could see it, you could sense it. Of course, Azazeal was sure she would have admitted that his explanation of their angelic natures had assisted in them all reaching this silent understanding…but he didn't really need the confirmation.

"Well," Elizabeth said finally, "I think we'll just wash up a little before dinner and join you in the dining room." She didn't wait for anyone to respond and they disappeared in a blink. She had known of course, that while his angelic nature had happily submitted, his physical body translated that bliss into physical desire. She could ask him to restrain his body and save his passion for later but she rarely did, preferring instead to accept the male offering of pleasure when it presented itself, as if it were a gift that one did not dismiss lightly. Though Lucifer's relatively easy arousement generally meant that they were often excusing themselves.

* * *

Azazeal shuddered again and Cassie gripped his hand a little tighter for a second. He wanted that, he wanted what he knew was going to happen between them, what had already happened between them. It wasn't the sex, even though that would be the form that their expression of love would take, it was the trust, the acceptance, the spiritual ecstasy that all of the mortals in this room, except Cassie, could not comprehend. The things that he kept himself from experiencing to their full extent because he was afraid and ashamed.

Then he suddenly turned to Cassie and his face said everything. He was afraid but if she would ask he would give. Cassie didn't need any further encouragement and after swiftly excusing themselves until dinner as well, she set to work gently stripping away more than just his clothing.

And they weren't the only ones who excused themselves, indeed every couple paired off, leaving Karla bemused. But only Elizabeth and Lucifer knew that before abandoning themselves to pleasure, she had ask him for one last favor, to influence a little distracting sex to clear everyone's mind…Lucifer added the not so subtle shove to Azazeal but his friend was too caught up in his own emotions to notice.


	29. Chapter 29

**UPDATED AND EXTENDED!**

* * *

As everyone dragged themselves back to the drawing room to await the summons to dinner from Beale, each person received an amused look and sometimes a saucy remark from Karla, who had been entertaining herself with a bawdy romance novel. She had partially been distracting herself from the strange sensations coming from her legs which she attributed to Jaenelle's comment in passing that there was some new healing trick she wanted to try. The bright confidence in Jaenelle's expression had given her too much hope and now her body was playing tricks on her.

When Azazeal entered the room Karla said to him, "Does your tongue work as well in the bedroom as it does in front of an audience?"

"Better," he grinned and then followed her eyes as she noticed Lucifer enter the room.

"He healed you, you know?" Azazeal said in a fit of mischievousness.

Karla's body tensed noticeably at this since she had been thinking about this subject just a little while ago.

"It's not possible!"

"Oh, lots of things are possible when you're an angel and when you're the most powerful angel in existence…anything's possible."

"But…but why…when…I…"

"Last night, remember, he walked up to you and put his hands on you. It's really very simple. And as to why, well, there's only one reason for everything he does."

"Elizabeth?"

"Yes, now you're getting it."

"You know, I never thought she was an evil witch. Any idiot could see they're in love."

"Yes, well, Lucifer's a challenge for anyone to understand."

"No, he's just an exaggerated Warlord Prince and the boyos just don't like to be reminded of how silly they can be. He just like them only worse. He's a Warlord Prince in love and perpetual rut, irrationally protective, dangerously aggressive, and yet so completely surrendered to his Queen the he's capable of obeying without question and falling to his knees at inappropriate times. The contradictions are what make them so cute that we bother to put up with it."

Karla smirked at her own description of Lucifer which also described the way he was currently hovering behind Elizabeth with wolfish grin and piercing glare as he couldn't decide if it would be more satisfying to ravish her again or continue to force all the males to keep what he considered to be a respectable distance for no other reason than that he was stronger than they were.

Azazeal laughed, "Let's just hope the surrendered part kicks in soon or he's going to start another fight. Come on let me get you on your feet, hmm."

With that he bent down and put his arms around her. Exhibiting quite a bit more strength then you might give his body credit for, he effortlessly lifted her out of her wheel chair to a standing position and held her there. She tittered for a moment but then engaged her long unused muscles.

Those in the room began to look around at them in wonder but some of the males were more concerned then curious.

"Be careful with her," Lucivar growled and moved towards them. He would never admit it but since he had taken her through her Virgin Night, he'd been more protective of her than the other women in the Coven.

"She's quite capable of…" Azazeal started but Lucivar shoved him out of the way. Azazeal chuckled and left them to take his spot at Cassie's side.

"Get your hands off me," Karla exclaimed and tried to push Lucivar's hands away but then swayed and grabbed on to him.

"Now, now, I don't do shotty work," Lucifer admonished, "Stop the dramatics and walk already. Your muscles are perfectly capable of supporting you."

Karla's face set into a determined look and she gently coaxed Lucivar to release her. She took her first step to a sharp intake of breath by just about everyone in the room and then with more confident steps walked towards a teary eyed Jaenelle who hugged her tightly. She was soon surrounded by the fascinated members of the Coven.

"You really healed her!" Khary said to Lucifer.

"As you see," he shrugged.

Elizabeth whispered to him, "You've earned some points with them, you should take credit."

"I was only trying to get you naked," he murmured in her ear.

She blushed, "But they don't know that."

He laughed and stole a kiss.

"Dinner is served!" Beale interjected and since you did not keep Beale waiting or let Mrs. Beale's food get cold, they began making their way to the dinning room.

* * *

The next morning Lucivar insisted that everyone gather on the side lawn to take part in stick fighting practice. He set Jaenelle in charge of the Ladies who arraigned themselves in neat lines a little ways off.

"NO! You just cannot stand and watch!" Lucivar roared at the condescending Daemon and Lucifer. "You WILL practice, you lazy sons of…!"

"Mother Night! He's in a mood," Daemon commented loudly to Lucifer and Lucivar narrowed his eyes at his brother.

"Well, he does have a point," Lucifer said with mock gravity, "We will add some grace and beauty to this rag-tag bunch of so called warriors."

Everyone, including Azazeal glared at him.

"And ruin my exquisitely tailored suit?" Daemon asked in self-deprecating seriousness.

"Well, I for one never pass up an opportunity to relieve myself of clothing, so I suggest stripping to the waist, you know, for the sake of the Ladies. If we're going to do this, we may as well give them a show."

Daemon smiled seductively and began to remove his jacket and shirt while Lucifer did the same. Lucivar rolled his eyes and resolved to work them hard but at least they had agreed. The boyos were struck by what was indeed a sight of beauty in seeing them both bare-chested and several of the Ladies dropped their sticks, only to hastily reclaim them and try to focus on Jaenelle.

Lucivar began his warm-up but by the time he started the lesson in earnest, Daemon and Lucifer were chuckling to each other over Lucifer's perfect mimicry of Lucivar's movements and Daemon's botched attempts to keep up while laughing at Lucifer.

The boyos were sneaking glances at Daemon and Lucifer, wondering at their familiarity. All of them felt a tinge, well more than that, of shame at having shut Daemon out. He could be a stubborn man, hard and dangerous and distant, but they had missed his sense of humor and the kindness underneath it all. Daemon had found a friend in a most unlikely being, a being that terrified all of them, but who brought out a lightness in him that was good to see.

Azazeal, by this point, could see the good that their playfulness was doing and so had made no attempted to help Lucivar corral them but Lucivar…

"THAT IT!" Lucivar yelled, unaffected by their cuteness, "Lucifer, front and center!"

"I don't know why you bother, you know what will happen," Lucifer replied amused.

"Indulge me! Now come on!"

And so they fought to satisfy Lucivar's sense of honor and everyone gathered around to watch. Lucifer was infuriatingly defensive again. Perfect in every counter and block but not attacking aggressively to avoid injuring Lucivar on accident, but in the end Lucivar hand the last word, in his own way.

Lucivar whirled and broke away from the circle they had contained themselves in and grabbed Elizabeth. He had her by the wrist only but it was enough to have the effect he wanted. Lucifer became deadly serious and focused on the two of them. In an instant, there was a throbbing shield of power around Elizabeth that locked Lucivar out, slipping between his hand and her wrist, and then Lucifer's hand around his throat, his eyes flashing with anger and confusion, but the killing strike that you might expect did not come.

"See, you've learned a thing or two from me haven't you?" Lucivar half-chuckled, half-growled at him.

A reluctant, yet amused, smiled began to form on Lucifer's face.

"I could have killed you," Lucifer admonished.

"But you didn't. You've been learning how to protect without losing yourself to a killing rage."

"That was a hell of a way to test your theory."

"We're friends. I didn't think you'd harm me."

"Actually, I was thinking of Marian," Lucifer muttered, but clapped him on the shoulder companionably and they all when in for breakfast.


	30. Chapter 30

After their morning exercises, breakfast, and an attempt to get the Kindred to come meet their guests, the Ladies were suddenly whisked away by Jaenelle for an impromptu but serious shopping excursion, while the males were relegated to entertaining themselves. It was adorable to watch them torn between wanting to say with their Ladies and their dread of shopping with Jaenelle. By now they had all experienced the horror of afternoon preying on the local shopkeepers with Jaenelle.

Lucivar took charge of the males, much to Daemon's amusement, and indicated that they would be escaping to town as well. After the boyos had been chatting casually at the bar of the local inn for a few hours, some of them noticed Lucifer's eyes go distant for a second and he disappeared. Daemon, Lucivar and the rest of the boys naturally tensed and tried to find the source of danger, but sensed nothing.

"He does that," Azazeal remarked calmly, "Elizabeth must have called him. He doesn't feel the need to excuse himself from the room when he's responding to her."

Lucivar nodded, seeming to understand the logic, and Daemon shook his head.

They had all gotten used to the extremes in Lucifer. He could go from looking about to attack Elizabeth in a rut-induced frenzy to being lovingly soft and gentle with her. He could be trying to incite mischief with the Coven one moment and be entirely quiet and disinterested the next. He could seemingly forget Elizabeth existed (though no one but Lucivar would accuse him of that to his face) and then suddenly station himself at her left shoulder where nothing could induce him to leave. So a disappearing act was nothing too exciting in the world of Lucifer, especially when everyone knew that a word from Elizabeth was all it ever took to command him. She somehow made sense of his behavior and that had to be enough for everyone.

As they were resettling themselves fom this distraction a young Gray-jeweled Queen walked up to Azazeal. Since she hadn't seen him before so she assumed he was a new arrival from Terrelle.

"Please tell me you haven't signed a contract with a Court yet or if you have I hope it's not a long one." She said pleasantly but with underlying sexual interest. She eyed him and smiled coyly.

Azazeal, not being fully aware of what she was asking and always being really for a flirt, replied with a grin that made her flush, "No contract."

"Well, then," she said recovering herself a bit, "I could use a male who's clearly been trained in the bedroom."

And that's when Daemon and Lucivar went cold, but neither she nor Azazeal saw their faces and understood the carnage was about to ensue if she said anything further. As it happened however, she reached out and put her hand on Azazeal's arm, a playful gesture, not entirely as blatant as her recent proposition, and Azazeal felt himself recoil. His expression turned deadly, as deadly as any Warlord Prince, and he surprised himself with the fierceness of his loathing of her touch. The young Queen was startled and then after catching a glimpse of Daemon and Lucivar's expressions, she quickly made her exit.

"You'd think they would learn," Lucivar muttered.

"Yes, well, there will always be a few," Daemon commented.

"Are you alright?" Lucivar asked Azazeal, who was occupied with his own thoughts.

"That was…I wanted to hurt her for touching me."

"I know how you feel," Daemon purred.

"Women like that can make your skin crawl with one finger," Lucivar shuddered.

"But I've never felt anything like that before, of course…well…sensation has become more significant than it use to be," Azazeal said, half to himself.

Daemon and Lucivar stared at him, having found that sometimes that was the best way to get Azazeal to explain something.

"We didn't always feel you know. Well I did, the Watchers always knew something of what the sense of touch meant but it wasn't until we fell from angelic status that we truly understood it. Lucifer didn't know it at all until after his fall and then it became one of his sick fasciations. When he couldn't quite understand what it was for and what it meant to him, he took to inflicting it on others, pleasure and pain, but mostly pain eventually, and then he discovered how to inflict emotion pain to distract him from his own and the rest is history. I fell in love with pleasure and have explored anyway I could find to experience it."

Daemon nodded encouragingly, no longer annoyed that he liked to hear Azazeal tell stories, any story really.

"But these women, our women, they have given it meaning that it didn't have before. They touch us instinctively to communicate and they don't even realize it. They take your hand when they are happy, they touch your shoulder to get your attention, they lean on you when they are tired, they run their hands over you when they are pleased or feel possessive," Azazeal said, looking as if he were remembering a time when Cassie was doing just that, "and when they make love..."

"Males do like to be petted," Lucivar commented dryly to Daemon.

"And then," Azazeal continued, undeterred, "there comes the irresistible desire to respond, to touch them, feel them, and see their reaction, knowing that part of them understands our touch too," he paused and then became more professorial, as if he'd shown too much already, "It really is the best form of communication that we have in common. Our spoken languages are not similar, theirs all sound while ours has mental and emotional components that, though they have learned, they will not be able to fully understand until…"

"Is that why Lucifer is constantly horny?" Khary chimed in.

"Essentially, yes," Azazeal said secretly pleased that no one had noticed the times when he himself and nearly acted like an adolescent boy, wanting so badly to feel Cassie against him, "The sex, pleasure we give them and the pleasure we accept, has given them context with which to understand the mental and emotional things we share with them. Of course with Lucifer, it's not just pleasure."

Lucivar snorted and Daemon looked slightly uncomfortable.

"Oh, he just plays with pain now, to let her know he would give her that too, but it's nothing like it was in the beginning. She gave the levels of pleasure and pain meaning and purpose. Pain is for anger or for dominance. He learned, relatively quickly, that pain is to be avoided when she is angry because her displeasure will make it sting. He won't stop her but he does feel shame now. He initially didn't notice that the whip was not enjoyable, because he was so fascinated by the fact that she could get him to surrender at all, but now he doesn't confuse sensations anymore and knows when what she is doing is not for her pleasure...Ah, for her pleasure…that's a different thing altogether and it's his own damn fault she's developed a occasional craving for it, so he's not above playing the bad boy to prick at that desire in her. Besides he wants to feel her forceful side. He was used to spending his time in awe of a power greater than himself, so whatever she does to assert her mastery of him, he will enjoy...it's just his nature. And then there's the ecstasy...well, when you love like we do, sharing pleasure with our...ladies, takes things to a place I can't describe to you."

Just then Lucifer popped back in to thoughtful stares.

"I leave for one minute and you all get dreary on me. What's the problem?"

"Um, nothing," Daemon offered, but Azazeal told Lucifer about the girl who had touched him, ending with a disgusted shudder.

"Fascinating, isn't it?" Lucifer said, excited, "Each person feels different, why didn't we notice before, well you've been touched more, but you obviously didn't like something about that woman, never had someone daring enough to want to use you before, but here the women are wilder, and I know I don't have to tell you, but do NOT let anyone touch your wings, my boy, they're painfully aware of who is touching them, and no offense to your Lady, Daemon, but that was extremely unpleasant (to put it mildly), they're for lovers only, it seems, which is fine by me because I don't want anyone but her to touch them and…"

"Lucifer, what did Elizabeth want?" Azazeal asked to distract him from his tirade.

Lucifer calmed and then smirked at Daemon.

"Jaenelle's a devious shopper. Elizabeth asked me to evaluate the purity of some jewelry they were looking at. The shopkeeper was overcharging and now the Ladies have some information to haggle with."

Daemon smiled back in acknowledgement of Jaenelle's shopping strategy. He was also secretly amused by how it must have galled her to have to ask Elizabeth but that her desire for a good deal overwhelmed that. She was used to all decent Blood males being at least a little bit drawn to her, while Lucifer and Azazeal were completely unsusceptible to her charms as a Queen and as Witch. It had taken her a little while to realize it but he seen her fighting her frustration with it when situations arose where she would normally be in control. There was nothing quite so scary as having two powerful males loose in your world and not being able to have the slightest influence over them. Azazeal was easier, he might listen to reason, but Lucifer ignored the requests of everyone but Elizabeth.

* * *

Later that evening when only the eight of them were left in the drawing room, the males all followed Lucifer's shameless example and each found their own way to get the physical attention that they wanted.

Lucifer was seated at Elizabeth's feet, the side of his head leaning on her knee, and she had taken to stroking him immediately. Of course, she knew what he wanted and was quite familiar with his obsession with touching her and being touched by her. Only her informing him that she thought it would be impolite for him to change into a cat and crawl in her lap had kept him from doing so.

Daemon was laying with his head in Jaenelle's lap and her hand had now moved from messing up his hair (not that he cared about his hair at this point) to slip along his chest under his silk shirt. It was all he could do not to give an encouraging moan or rock his hips upward. He'd certainly opened up a can of worms listening to Lucifer's suggestion about learning to accept pleasure.

Lucivar had Marian tucked against his shoulder but her free hand was absently rubbing his thick arm and occasionally ventured furtively to his thigh before realizing where it had gotten to and making a careful retreat back to his arm. If he had been willing to move, he would have grabbed her hand and put it back on his thigh but he didn't want her to stop.

Azazeal was laying on the couch with Cassie curled up against him. He held one of her hands, which she tucked against her chest. She quite purposefully shifted and stretched to press herself against his entire body thinking to tease him. But he was not to proud to shift his hips forward, meeting her body's caress, letting her feel his body's reaction to her own. So she freed her hand and slipped it behind her and while appearing innocently in conversation, drove him to distraction, though he did have control enough not to moan and rub himself against her like he wanted to. Eventually she let him go to caress his thigh.

The males were completely oblivious to whatever the girls were talking about, which the Ladies eventually realized once the saw that their eyes were closed and recognized the slow breath of male content at being petted. They gave each other knowing looks and playful smiles but did not disturb them until it was time to go to bed.


	31. Chapter 31

The next morning at breakfast the house was perplexed to find that toast and coffee was the only option on the table.

"Beale?" Jaenelle said, "Don't we have anything else for breakfast?"

"Uhm, my Lady it seems that, um, there was an incident in the kitchen last night, and Mrs. Beale…"

Jaenelle held up her hand to stop him and tried to glare at the Coven but a grin twitched at the corners of her mouth.

"Who…?" she began.

"Executed a strategic raid of the kitchen and is holding the eggs and bacon hostage?" Lucifer asked.

"Yes," Jaenelle said.

"I have no idea," he replied with an obviously guilty smirk.

There were some snickers around the room and Beale's eyes widened in absurd alarm over the breaching of the sanctity of his wife's kitchen. But then again, he had to sleep with her.

"Beale, could you ask your wife to join us for a moment?"

"Of course, my Lady," he said and turned on this heel, returning shortly with his rolling pin wielding spouse. Everyone made sure to position themselves behind Jaenelle and appear as inconspicuous as possible.

"Mrs. Beale, your husband has informed us…"

"It's an outrage, my Lady, stealing from my kitchen, MY KITCHEN, and if I find the culprit…" and she tapped the rolling pin against her hand and everyone, well almost everyone, took a step back.

"My dear Mrs. Beale," Azazeal strode forward, "This is truly a most distressing occurrence," he said in that deep, gravelly voice and she was captivated. "But I heard that if you would be so kind as to make your famous lamb tonight that you would find your kitchen replenished and with a few exotic items added in as thanks."

He had taken her hand as if he were pleading with a lover not to leave him and she was regarding him with rapt attention.

"I…well, yes…I suppose I could…but the person who…"

"Oh, don't you worry about that, dear, I'll take care of it. You just concern yourself with the lamb, alright?"

"Alright, well my kitchen better…" she said as Azazeal escorted her to the door.

"Of course, Lady," he said and then she was gone.

Cassie gave Azazeal a look because lamb was her favorite and he glanced at Lucifer with a small smile.

"Alright, which one of you…?" Elizabeth started and the each pointed at each other and smiled wider.

Again males snickers could be heard and it was apparent that this had been a large scale operation.

Jaenelle just rolled her eyes and sat down to eat her toast and everyone else followed suit. Daemon was slightly concerned about her this morning. She had woken up irritable, he suspected because the Kindred Unicorns and Scelties had agreed to meet their new friends today, and he had to put a lot of effort in to improving her mood. Not that he minded really, it was his job after all, but it was a little frustrating to have his work ruined. But then again, it was great fun to see Mrs. Beale infuriated by Lucifer and charmed by Azazeal, although this was likely to make Jaenelle's mood worse by reminding her of their power and lack of accountability to her.

* * *

After breakfast, the Coven and their guests, ambled out on to the field that was to be the meeting place and chatted amongst themselves as they waited for the Unicorns. Eventually, there was a bit of rustling in the trees and then Moodshadow's herd walked out in to the open, moving towards them casually as if they had all the time in the world.

Daemon and Lucivar were, of course, used to these creatures, but Lucifer's eyes gleamed in wonder. These were beings that he had not helped to create, they were foreign to him, and therefore deeply fascinating. Without warning, he morphed into a thick and large black stallion with a flowing mane and tail and trotted neatly over to them. There was some sniffing of each other and then a sharp whinny from Moonshadow who nipped at him and started him cantering wildly through the herd.

Cassie touched Azazeal's arm and Lucivar and Daemon watched him turn towards her already appearing to know that she was about to ask him for something.

"Go with him, please," she said and Azazeal became a striking grey stallion with a delicately dappled rump. He cantered over to Moonshadow and with a polite nod of his head moved off to try to coral the black stallion who was now causing quite a ruckus, but to no avail. None of the Unicorns had even make it over to the humans and were alternately chasing and being chased by Lucifer as Moonshadow watched. She whinnied a few times and when the grey stallion apparently gave up and moved to stand next to Moonshadow, the color of rage stared to reach Jaenelle's cheeks.

"Will you stop him?" Jaenelle tried to ask Elizabeth politely but it came out nervous and slightly irritated.

"Oh, he's like a child, messy but harmless. They'll be alright."

Just then Lucifer raced by and nipped at Moonshadow, eliciting an angry whinny and an attempt to kick at him with her back hooves.

"STOP HIM!" she yelled and turned to Elizabeth with a look that would have made Daemon legs jelly. Lucivar and Daemon became twitchy at the tone of her voice and the thought of witches fighting.

Elizabeth met Jaenelle's gaze and narrowed her own eyes in fury.

"He gives me everything he has, everything he is, and all he wants is for me to be happy. The least I can do is let him have some innocent fun. He submits himself to my will enough as it is."

"Not nearly enough," Jaenelle retorted, in her concern over the safety of her Kindred friends.

"You don't mean that," Daemon murmured trying to be helpful and knowing that Jaenelle had never been the kind of Queen that demanded unthinking obedience, but she rounded on him and glared.

"Fine!" Elizabeth said, "This is your world and we're your guests so I'll make him heel for the rest of our stay here." She spoke a few words under her breath and pointed to the ground and the black horse became a bushy black wolf and ran over to her. He approached with his head low and his tail waging between his legs, whining softly. In his agitation, he began pacing in a submissive crouch, looking like he might roll onto his back at the slightest provocation.

For a second, pain registered on Elizabeth's face and then she said to Jaenelle, "Look at him, I am angry with you and he's the one cowering."

"That's because he's afraid you'll beat him!"

Elizabeth was about to retort with something she might regret later, when Cassie stepped between them, ignoring Lucifer's confused growl and return to plaintive whining.

"No," she said, in a tone that got their attention immediately and made Azazeal proud, "When an angel's anxious about their lover's mood, there's no way to explain to them that they aren't responsible. Because it doesn't matter if it's their fault or not, they must respond. They know that there is always something they could do to help but if we can't express it, they have no way to act."

Jaenelle's rage cooled at this and she looked sadly at the wolf at Elizabeth's feet, sitting quietly now, the tip of his tail waging hopefully but his eyes concerned.

"Elizabeth," Cassie said, "You have to calm down or you'll never be able to convince him to change back." Elizabeth nodded at this.

Moonshadow walked slowly up to them and nuzzled Jaenelle's shoulder, asking why the black stallion couldn't play anymore, they were almost finished establishing the pecking order with him in it, but she didn't bother sharing this with the others.

"I was worried for my friends," Jaenelle said quietly, but regret registered in her voice.

"It's alright," Elizabeth said, "I'm so used to his antics, I forget that others can't tell when he's actually getting dangerous. I'm sorry we worried you. We didn't mean to."

Jaenelle nodded.

Ludvarian came trotting over obliviously with a troop of Kindred puppies who were tripping all over each other in their excitement to meet new friends. Jaenelle brightened when she saw them and was soon surrounded with little balls of babbling joy. She laughed and then looked out at the Kindred unicorn herd calmly grazing with the gray stallion that was Azazeal sticking out like a soar thumb amongst all of their white coats. Turning back to Elizabeth and seeing the wolf Lucifer eyeing the puppies with guarded delight she said, "Let them play."

Elizabeth smiled back and murmured to Lucifer who looked up at her for a moment and then tore off into the field where the puppies followed, instinctively following a fast moving object. He eventually slowed and let them catch him, getting tumbled and rolled over and over again by their enthusiasm at catching their prey.

"_He's good with puppies_," Ludvarian announced to Jaenelle, "_Does he have a mate?_"

"Yes," Jaenelle said with a small smile, thinking that it would be best to wait until later to try to explain that he was not actually a wolf.


	32. Chapter 32

What had started as an introduction to one Unicorn herd and a few Kindred puppies turned into a large scale Kindred reunion including wolves, cats, and horses, and even a dragon or two. Since the angels were able to communicate with the Kindred on their level, both as animals and as intelligent beings, they made fast friends and they eventually didn't even need Jaenelle to make the introductions.

Not that she minded. She was preoccupied, as she had been that morning, with reports coming out of Little Terreille of Queens starting to exhibits signs of cruelty towards the males in their Courts. She'd known that the purge would not be perfect. She'd known that those who might not have been corrupted at the time of the purge would remember the power those women had held and might eventually fall into the same brutality, but she had hoped it would not happen.

She and Daemon were standing a little ways off from everyone else when he coaxed the truth behind her mood out of her. His initial rise to rage did not help her own temper but he leashed it and told her about Azazeal's confrontation with the young Queen at the bar. Jaenelle would normally have flown off the handle at not being told about this kind of occurrence but she was too worn out by her emotions to do more than nod and add it to her consideration over what to do.

* * *

Several hours later, when seemingly every Kindred animal in Kaeleer had been introduced to the angels and their Ladies, Beale announced that lunch was being served in the dinning room. The last of the Kindred said their farewells and left the humans to their meal.

"I'm surprised none of the Sceltie puppies claimed any of you," Lucivar commented as they made the walk back to the house.

"Claimed us?" Cassie asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Uh, ya," Lucivar laughed and Marion rolled her eyes, "Among the Kindred, well the wolves and Scelties anyway, it is the animal that claims their friend or Queen. And they are…very insistent about it."

"Well," Azazeal commented casually, "Perhaps they understood that we are taken."

"Perhaps," Lucivar agreed.

Lunch was a strange affair with Jaenelle and Daemon trying to keep their composure, Lucivar angry that they were keeping something from him and Marion worried about what Lucivar would do. Elizabeth had convinced Lucifer to take human form again, but even though she and Jaenelle had made their peace, she was still agitated because she wanted to apologize to Lucifer and he had the unreadable look of an angel waiting for his orders. Cassie and Azazeal looked on all of this with a mix of concern and amusement, waiting for events to play out so that they could take their roles.

After lunch Daemon excused himself and Jaenelle which gave everyone a chance to be on their own for a while, though Lucivar did not take kindly to it.

* * *

When Elizabeth and Lucifer were finally alone, everything changed. She tried to apologize to him for taking out her anger on him, but he ignored her, preferring instead to slowly disrobe her. He laughed softly at her when she would try to stop him but then not be able to resist him pulling her hands away. By the time he had started on his own clothes, she had given up, but when he slid next to her, kissed her deeply and murmured _Na Adna, Na Hoath, Na De_, she started to cry.

He stopped and held her against him, letting her cling to him tightly as she cried. How could he say those things to her after how she had acted today? The simple translation was 'I am obedient, I am your worshiper, I am yours', but the levels of angelic meaning made it more profound than the mortal words could convey. Finally he pushed her back to look at her. When their eyes met, she saw the man he had become, at least in part. Not the outrageously powerful and cocky angel, not the bowing servant, but the man who was capable of comforting her and seeing beyond his own struggling existence. Or maybe it was all of his sides coming together, fitting into place and finding clarity when she needed it.

He smiled gently and knowingly at her. "_Na De_," he said again but it sounded different this time. Kind but firm and confidant, an inescapable truth that they both were subject to.

"I know it's hard," he said, "but we are what we are together. You are mine and I am yours, only what you are to me and what I am to you are different. This must be, you know that."

She nodded with a brave smile. She knew he didn't blame her for her actions today, she'd already known that, but the human part of her could not help feeling sorry. Just as he would have responded to the anger or joy or unease of heaven without judgment or hesitation, he would respond to her. She had accepted this when she agreed to be what she was and now she needed to accept it again.

He made love to her then slowly, gently as a man still captivated by just feel of his lover, making her body sing with pleasure. Her climax, as it generally did, brought his soon after and even though this time it did not go beyond his human form into angelic ecstasy, his body shook for a long time with the effect of it. Angels did not have those sometimes abrupt climaxes that felt as if the wave had been traveling too fast towards the shore to catch and ride and all one is left with is the memory of the thrill as it passed over you. It was as if they stretched themselves wide and became part of the wave of pleasure, giving themselves over to it out of love and letting themselves be taken wherever it willed until it left them exhausted and empty on the shore, ready to be filled with love again and to give it all again.

They held each other for a long time before putting on their clothes to join the others. And as they dressed, they both knew that later that night, when they came back to this room, there would come a moment when Lucifer would stand before her and then kneel, bringing himself down to her feet where he would pause before deliberately kissing one foot and then the other. And she would accept this, his place at her feet and her place above him, reaffirming their bond and giving him the kind of love that he needed.

* * *

When they did join the others, everyone could see the small change in Lucifer, a side of him they hadn't seen before. It would fade, even these new friends knew enough to know that he would constantly change, but right now it was a side of him that Jaenelle needed too.

"I have a favor to ask of you and Azazeal," she started, "I…we have no right, but…the purge was not complete and even if I could do it again, I would only be destroying more people," she paused, nearly in tears, "Cassie has told me of the work the angels do in your world, influencing people to bring about change…could you…would you…"

She stopped and looked from Lucifer to Azazeal and back again hopefully. Lucifer smiled at her like the wise and powerful angel that he was and purposefully looked down at Elizabeth. Jaenelle turned her attention to Azazeal and he did the same thing, smiling kindly but looking to Cassie for her decision.

"Of course, we will," Cassie announced, knowing how disconcerting it could be to see the angels defer to them, "Right, Elizabeth?"

"How could we refuse!" Elizabeth said. "It's what we do! Besides, trouble-maker here needs to expend some energy or who knows what may happen to Mrs. Beale's kitchen," she laughed and Jaenelle brightened at the prospect of this new alliance.

* * *

_I thought I should note that I'm trying to explore some new sides of Jaenelle. She's far to perfect in the books. Even when she's mad, she's right and that can't always be possible. And just because she might be angry and wrong, doesn't mean she's not still a great Queen and Witch._

_Anyway, I also thought I should acknowledge that I know this story has devolved somewhat into the Lucifer and Elizabeth story but I'm fascinated with the idea of him and this is all just what pops out of my imagination (I can't force it), so I hope there are some Lucifer/Elizabeth fans out there too. Thanks for reading! Please comment._


	33. Chapter 33

That night Jaenelle held a strange kind of Court, with Daemon, Lucivar, Azazeal, Lucifer, and their Ladies, and explained the problem. Azazeal immediately, and a little excitedly, detailed his quickly formed plan for how the angels could effect change. Unexpectedly, Lucifer added that there may be some males as well that needed an attitude adjustment and this was swiftly added in to Azazeal's plan. They all retired aware of their roles and determined to fulfill them.

* * *

The next morning the group went to the edge of the town they were going to start in and readied themselves to proceed. The plan was that Lucifer would start by coaxing the population into reveling the cruel thoughts they were looking for and then Daemon and Azazeal would swoop in and analyze what kind of action would need to be taken to banish those thoughts and ideas. This would take a quite a few days to accomplish across the whole realm and today was going to be a day of trial and error.

Before they were sent off, Azazeal made a point of speaking to Lucivar who was left with the critical task of ensuring Cassie and Elizabeth's safety while the angel's were busy.

"Just to be clear," he said smoothly to Lucivar, "if any harms comes to Cassie…"

"Yes, I know, a horrible death."

"Don't joke with me," Azazeal said seriously, "Or I may be forced to point out that you may actually end up preferring Lucifer's insanity over Elizabeth's loss to my rage. No one knows for sure what he would do…but me…I have very specific ideas about how I would express my disappointment." He ended casually and strode back to Cassie. His nonchalance made his statement extremely terrifying and made Lucivar shudder with the thought of how much he could be like Daemon.

Cassie had made sure to explain to Jaenelle that after this day's work, Lucifer and Azazeal would probably be acting strangely, with Lucifer likely to go kneeling again and Azazeal…well he tended to get amorous like Lucifer often did or need to be distracted from wanting another task. She told her that they would need some time alone when they were done, at which Jaenelle smirked, and Cassie added that while the angels actually needed no reward, Elizabeth and herself had long ago realized that they themselves could not help but want to show their appreciation.

* * *

"So, are you ready to help Jaenelle and Daemon out?" Jaenelle heard Elizabeth ask Lucifer, who in a drastic change from last night had been mischievous all morning, trying to steal fresh nut cakes from Mrs. Beale at the same time as convincing her that she was an underappreciated woman who deserved…things that Daemon would not repeat to Jaenelle despite her earnest protests that she would not be shocked. Mr. Beale, however, was made well aware of what Mrs. Beale now desired and seemed disturbingly impatient to obliged her, practically shoving them all out the door once breakfast was over.

"Perhaps," Lucifer rumbled back to Elizabeth's question, "What do you offer?"

At this Jaenelle became a bit concerned, but Elizabeth smiled and whispered something in his ear.

"And if I refuse?" he asked as if this were a negotiation.

Elizabeth again said something to him quietly, to which he responded, "Mmm, decisions, decisions, I'll have to get back to you on that."

"Well, my love, if you are particularly good, I'll let you pick," she said with a wicked smile and was graced with a naughty grin from Lucifer. She, of course, knew that he would not be in the mood for either one, but the bargaining was always fun.

"In that case…" he said and Elizabeth held out a hand to him, palm up, which he looked at with solemn consideration before reaching out to put his hand in hers. The loving smile that broke across his face then, was like nothing Jaenelle or Daemon had ever seen before. Cassie would have recognized it as the complete surrender of his will to her and would have explained it to them, but she was distracted by the expectant look in Azazeal's eyes, who was so ready to act on her behalf.

Elizabeth spoke to Lucifer in angelic and he let go of her hand to raise both arms to the air and close his eyes in concentration. He lifted off of the ground, rising a few feet in the air, his arms still wide as if embracing the sky.

Azazeal was looking towards the town now and then with a quick glance at Daemon, began strolling towards it, making Daemon hurry to catch him.

* * *

They finished their work in two towns before calling an end to the day. True to her description, Lucifer and Azazeal were not their typical selves, being entirely focused on their Ladies, as if no one else existed.

Elizabeth took Lucifer's hand when he returned to the ground again and he looked at it curiously for a second before raising her hand to his lips, as if remembering that this was an appropriate response. She reached up a kiss him full on the mouth, sending a shudder through him, and when she pulled away, he tried to follow her and press close again, without thought that they had an audience, but she held him back.

She then walked with him over to Jaenelle and Lucivar and said, "I'm going to take him back to the house."

Jaenelle nodded and then with out comment Lucifer took off his coat and put it around Elizabeth with a satisfied smile. Elizabeth shrugged and commented to the confused Lucivar, "I'm a bit cold and he knows that because, well…I'll explain later." And with that she looped her arm in his and they disappeared.

Azazeal returned with Daemon not to long afterward though Daemon was clearly an afterthought as Azazeal strode over the Cassie with a priceless look of eagerness on his face. She pulled him into her arms and they disappeared without further conversation.

"Well, I guess we'll discuss our successes and failures later," Jaenelle commented with a frown.

"I have a few things to share with you," Daemon crooned.

"Do you?" Jaenelle tried to ask innocently.

"Mmm, but I think they would best be shared in private, my Lady," he said pulling her towards the nearest place they could catch the winds while Lucivar scowled and went to go find Marion.

* * *

It had been a long time since the last time Elizabeth had asked Lucifer to place himself in her hands as her tool, but he had done it with the same willingness that he always had. Now she was left with the opportunity to indulge in love making with angel so entirely focused on her and so open to her spiritually and physically that he would treat the experience as a wondrous gift. Each thing she did was an offering of love and of herself and he understood it in a way that only an angel could. Not even she could fully comprehend what he felt, though she saw the adoration clearly in his eyes and knew the difference between when he gave and when he accepted. And when he did open himself in response, she did not hesitate to accept all that he offered, to posses it and acknowledge it as hers, because it was in those moments that she earned the right to ask him to stand on his own two feet, apart from her constant control, and trust in her to guide him.

* * *

When the got back to their room, Azazeal regarded Cassie with childlike wonder as she softly kissed his lips and slid off his coat. She smiled at him lovingly and began to work at the buttons of his shirt. As she pulled off his shirt, he was still watching her closely, seemingly unfamiliar with this process, and when she turned back to him after tossing his shirt on the nearest chair, his wings had sprouted behind him. She had barely allowed herself to wish for them, but he was apparently too in tune to her to let even that small request go unfulfilled. Elizabeth had warned her that Azazeal might be different after the first time he had trusted her enough to allow their souls to touch briefly a few days earlier, but it had not shown up until now.

"You're so beautiful," she said and he smiled a little wider, puffing out his chest and rustling his wings proudly behind him, but he did not speak.

He continued to watch her as she helped him out of the rest of his clothing and then started on her own. When she was completely naked, his look of innocent delight only deepened, as if being here with her in this state of nakedness was pleasure enough. Elizabeth had told her about this, about how, after being their angel, after obeying and using their power to its fullest extent, they sometimes moved beyond the desire of the body to touch and be touched, and beyond the ability to express their love on the physical plane.

She touched him, put her hand on his chest, and this time the physical barrier between their spirits melted away easily as if she had asked it of him. His mouth opened slightly and his expression filled with aching love which grew more keen as she moved her fingertips over him. He trembled slightly but stepped forward into her hand to encourage her. Though she knew what was happening, she felt only a strange form of physical sensation but his spirit was capable of experiencing her soul and feeling her love on a completely different level.

Just as the girls did not understand how each touch communicated something to their lovers (and the boys did not want to tell them for fear they would become self-conscious), they also did not understand how strange but exquisite it was to have a personal goddess that was yours alone, not shared, and who took it upon herself to reward her devoted angel with the mysterious and personal sensation of touch. To have a lover who had also always reached out to him so freely with another gift, her naive soul always in her fingertips and on her lips, just below the surface, inviting him experience her, if he would open himself to it.

Cassie led him to the bed and he laid himself down for her, still watching her intently. She moved over him, kissing him again gently as she slid him inside her. At this he moaned, pressing his hips upward towards her, but though he would have grabbed onto her under normal circumstances, his arms remained by his sides, ignorant of what to do. Azazeal's awe filled face made it unquestionably clear that whatever he was experiencing, he had never felt before. She felt shy for a moment and not quite qualified to guide him through this experience, but Elizabeth had told her that she simply could not get it wrong. Anything she did was the right as long as she as was filled with love. Negative emotions however had no place in this act and would inflict agony in directly opposite proportion to the pleasure he was now experiencing. So Cassie smiled to herself and experimented, making sure to keep love in her thoughts, which wasn't hard since she was so pleased with him anyway.

* * *

Azazeal awoke later and watched Cassie sleeping quietly for a movement before considering how in love he was and how good that felt. He wondered if Lucifer felt this way, so completely possessed and giddy with the sense of purpose and duty it generated, but then he knew that it was foolish to think that he did not.

Azazeal had seen Lucifer approach Elizabeth as a submissive wolf, whining over her anger and seeking forgiveness through submission for something he had not done. The form of an animal with its limited methods of communication had exaggerated Lucifer's response, making it more dramatic than it would have appeared in human form, but Azazeal had understood. He always had, though he had not yet been as willing to display his concern, to offer himself to assuage Cassie's unhappiness, to trust her to take the offer and allow him to please her. Nothing could be much worse than making that trusting offer and being refused, even if it was only out of the human's inability to articulate what would please them. Being aware of her displeasure or discontent and essentially being told that he was not worthy of fixing it…that would be torture indeed, especially to Azazeal to whom it was so important to be useful and worthy.

Cassie had experienced his agitation over things that had bothered her and had learned to read the signs in him, mostly arrogance and pushiness, that indicated that he knew there was something he should be doing to help. She had even explained to Jaenelle the precise reason behind Lucifer's display, having learned this truth by interacting with him. But now with his recent ability to trust her in the way Lucifer had urged him to, the knowledge had come to both of them that he would now react the same way regardless of the consequences. The momentary pain that might come from her confusion or hesitation was nothing compared to the pleasure that came from fulfilling his duty to her. And she would learn, as Elizabeth had in simply asking Lucifer the wolf to sit still, to request anything, anything at all, rather than worry over the perfect solution, because waiting was their duty as well.

Azazeal snuggled himself up to her, still pleased with himself with his success in their mission, no longer ashamed of his need for her, and completely unaware of the quiet amusement this would generated in her tomorrow, which he would ignore in Lucifer-esque confidence that it was irrelevant.


	34. Chapter 34

Azazeal, Lucifer and their Ladies did eventually make it down to dinner with the household that night, however to Jaenelle's irritation neither of them were in a mood for the debriefing she had in mind.

"It can wait until tomorrow, love," Daemon crooned to her and stroked her arm, "But you can interrogate me all you like."

She did a cute double take, glancing at him, back at the angels, and then back at him again when his meaning became clear to her. She would never get over how strong his sexual pull was, how it could distract her from anything, and how shocking it could be. She graced him with a feral smile and then turned her attention back to their guests.

Elizabeth was introspective and quiet. In her own thoughts, she was talking herself down from the heights of supremacy that she had risen to at Lucifer's encouragement. He had been particularly expressive: absolutely clear that his power was hers and that he belonged to her. _Ela De _he had vowed several times, "Only you." _Ay Naneel Elusada Na Adno Ela De, _he had insisted, "With my power at your feet, I obey only you." Elizabeth was used to his professions by now but sometimes even she was shaken by them.

Lucifer was calm but barely company ready, not prepared to acknowledge anyone, however something in him changed when he took in Azazeal's state.

Cassie appeared, not worried, but sort of uncertain about something, while Azazeal had eyes only for her. Elizabeth normally would have been more helpful but she was distracted.

When Cassie sat, Azazeal alighted next to her. As she greeted everyone and considered the table, he waited inconspicuously and then all of a sudden a piece of roast appeared on her plate. This would not have been strange if roast had been on the menu, but in actually Mrs. Beale had prepared a nice ham for dinner this evening.

Cassie jumped a little and then peered around the table to see if anyone had noticed. They had, although they were doing an excellent job of ignoring it. Cassie had no idea where he'd stolen it from but it was exactly what she had just thought to herself that she would have preferred for dinner. Elizabeth had told her that for the angels there was a fine line between reading actual human thoughts and those ideas that become more than just lines in our ongoing inner dialogue. Azazeal was apparently more sensitive than he usually was.

Cassie smiled at him in silent thanks and began to eat which thankfully encouraged him to begin the simple process of putting food on his own plate. Later on he stood unexpectedly and regarded her with a hopeful pride that made her blush a little, but she quickly got him to sit down by neglecting the idea that she should have him work on getting the Kindred accepted more in to the Blood society. That mission could wait.

They all eat in personable conversation about nothing important for a while until after desert when Azazeal leaned over to Cassie and whispered, not quietly enough, that he wanted to be inside her.

The whole room froze in shocked silence as Cassie blanched and then turn deep red. What was more shocking than his words was the languidly sensual warmth that spread through everyone in the room when he said it.

"I know how he feels," Lucifer rumbled a few seconds later with all of his naughtiness behind it to distract them from Azazeal, but it worked only for a moment.

"Oh, leave the boy alone," Lucifer said, "He's finally waived the white flag. Let him enjoy it because it may not come so easily next time."

Most of the group regarded Lucifer in at least partial confusion, but Daemon started some innocuous conversation and attention moved away from Cassie and Azazeal.

After dinner was over, Daemon and Lucivar went to consult with Saetan about the day's events and get his suggestions, while the Ladies chose to be on their own, in part in order to leave Azazeal in Lucifer's care.

* * *

"Tell me you knew," Azazeal said to Lucifer after they had sat together in a profound silence for quite some time.

"Hmm?" Lucifer responded as if Azazeal had interrupted him in the middle of reading a book and he hadn't heard the question.

"Tell me you knew Cassie would make me happy and that you were jealous. Tell me that that was the reason you wanted a woman of your own. Tell me you knew when you met her that Elizabeth would not abuse you…would not damn you further or abandon you if you…tell me you knew all along."

* * *

"Do you ever…?" Elizabeth started and then stopped, "Have you ever…? I mean…" she stopped again and looked at Jaenelle and Cassie for a moment before continuing.

"Do you ever think about the power you have…the power that you control and just marvel at it?"

Both girls considered her question thoughtfully.

* * *

"Would it make you feel better if I had?" Lucifer asked.

"At least then I wouldn't have to contemplate how lucky we both have been."

"It wasn't luck, Azazeal, but it wasn't fate either. You know His plan lies somewhere in between."

"His plan, huh?" Azazeal laughed and Lucifer smiled, but their discussion of the divine would go no further.

"I knew that you had found something important and it intrigued me," Lucifer said, "You know what I had always been looking for and I thought if woman could cared for me like Cassie cared for you, it might take some of the pain away."

Azazeal regarded Lucifer patiently and said, "That's not what I asked."

"I fell in love with her before I considered the consequences."

"So did I," Azazeal said.

* * *

Jaenelle spoke first, "I've always had this power and I've always known how to handle powerful males." She paused, "I have felt out of place, misunderstood, and alienated but…Witch is a part of me and our world revolves around power…I've never taken the time to be amazed by it."

"Oh, I didn't…I didn't meant to accuse you of…" Elizabeth stuttered, but Jaenelle just smiled and waved a hand in friendly dismissal of the apology.

"It's not the same for you, I understand," Jaenelle said, "And we all should be a bit more appreciative of what we have."

The girls stood in silence for a moment and then Cassie said, "I've been to afraid to consider it. To really let myself realize what Azazeal and I could do together beyond the tasks I set for him. But I can tell that he's not going to let me get away with that any longer."

Elizabeth laughed.

"But with Lucifer it's a requirement, isn't it?" Cassie asked having known and wondered for quite some time how Elizabeth could handle a Being like that.

"It's…there are just…endless possibilities that boggle the mind and he just can't help show them to me and want to do those things for me. Sometimes it feels like his waiting on the balls of his feet and the incantations for anything I could want are all on the tip of his tongue just waiting and it's…it's just astounding."

"You know, Elizabeth," Cassie said, being familiar with that same feeling coming from Azazeal, "I've always thought that a good measure of astonishment is a good thing when it comes to living with angels. The minute we get too comfortable is the minute we loss perspective and start using them for ourselves."

"You're right," Elizabeth said, "It just overwhelms me sometimes."

"I know," Cassie said, "Now, stop thinking about yourself and explain to me what's wrong with Azazeal!" Cassie exclaimed and they all laughed for a while before Elizabeth explained what she knew about his silly angelic behavior.

* * *

"And what does it matter now," Lucifer said, "We could never have loved so strongly if they were not who they are."

Azazeal considered this and finally asked, "And you loved her enough, after a few weeks, to let me…?"

"Oh, geez, not that again," Lucifer interrupted, "I was desperate, the sex was so good and she was so stubborn I knew she had the backbone. I would have done anything to get her to realize that I was telling the truth, to let me please her. That's just what she wanted in that moment. And, as it happens, she it let her understand me better and it taught us both what pain could do to me. I could always give her that when I could give her nothing else and then you know what happens when I start giving," Lucifer smiled naughtily and Azazeal, who knew the snowball that started when an angel obeyed, gave his own tight-lipped smile in response and understood how Lucifer could go from a willing victim to an angel intent on pleasing.

"Of course all of that torturing of Ella may you far too handy with a whip, I must say," Lucifer continued lightly, "Elizabeth's…erotic," he shivered, "You're just brutal."

Azazeal laughed, proud of being called brutal when it came to exacting revenge, and then his laughter faded.

"I'm lost, aren't I? There is nothing left. I belong to her now."

"Feels good, doesn't it?"

Azazeal nodded, resigned and at the same time relived.

"Enjoy it. We're servants," Lucifer continued, "I'm just better at it than you are."

At this Azazeal laughed again, not willing to get into the age-old debate about the differences in their personalities, the way they had served in heaven and the way they served now. It was pointless. They knew that each angel had their role but here, outside of the perfect organization of heaven, it caused a human like jostling for status and recognition.


	35. Chapter 35

**See translations for Angelic at the end of the Chapter **

* * *

The next day Jaenelle was impatient to hear a report from Azazeal, Lucifer and Daemon, but managed to tame her enthusiasm until late morning for the meeting they had arraigned the night before. Jaenelle asked the whole Coven to attend in case they had any ideas to share once Azazeal had given his assessment.

Azazeal and Cassie were the last to arrive in the bustling drawing room and as Cassie left Azazeal's side to join the audience with a slight blush on her face and he turned to Lucifer in bemusement. Only another angel would have been able to pick up on exactly what was on his mind.

"Don't worry," Lucifer said in hushed tones, "She'll talk to Elizabeth and I've already broken her in, so to speak."

Azazeal nodded but looked to be suppressing a silly smile and Lucifer gave him an impatient look.

"I…uh…"

"Oh, just tell me," Lucifer admonished.

"I called her _Thila-Quasahi_ and…_Oee-Tol."_

"Yeah, and?"

"And _Mad-Im_."

"Oh, nice, I bet that went over well," Lucifer laughed.

"It's not funny!"

"Oh, sure it is, not while your doing it, but later on it's hilarious."

Azazeal just scowled.

"Like I said, Elizabeth will put things in perspective for her. Besides, try proclaiming _Mo-Mar Carina_ in the throws of adoration and then later decide that an appropriate endearment in your moments of weakness is _Carina Pir. _That's a fun one! It gets a blush out of her every time. _Elonusahe _went over splendidly, as well!"

Azazeal was now suppressing laugher of his own.

"Besides, you've heard what our little host is calling me now haven't you?"

Azazeal shook his head.

"_Ipzi-Adna-Tilb."_

At this Azazeal really did break out in quiet laugher.

"See, I told you it's all uproariously funny! And no matter how inappropriate the Ladies think it is, we just can't help it. So let _El _strike me down if He wants, but I've found _Na_ _Hoath_."

At this Azazeal nodded solemnly, trying to shake off the amusement, but was glad that Lucifer had distracted him.

* * *

Azazeal turned towards Jaenelle and the others, getting their attention with his piercing eyes, and then he began.

"First," he said, "Let me start by explaining what we did. Lucifer," and he gestured over his right shoulder at him, "used his power of…well…temptation, to bring out the thoughts and feelings of cruelty that Jaenelle and Daemon described to us and then he directed Daemon and myself to these individuals."

The whole room nodded in understanding.

"Then Daemon and I tested various methods of persuasion to determine how best to suppress these feelings and ideas. It is important to note, however, that as in our own world, we cannot eradicate these tendencies. To do so would ultimately mean changing the very nature of the Blood. You will always be a wild and dangerous race and you will always live in fear of those stronger than you. We are not targeting rage, desire, or aggression. We are looking for a specific kind of hunger for violence, one that is twisted by the craving to humiliate and control."

Again came the nod of understanding.

"We found that in the young and those with only a small taste of it, either Daemon or I can easily make them see how horrifying it really is using…our differing forms of persuasion."

However," he continued, "For those who truly enjoy it, who have started to take real pleasure from the suffering of others, the problem is that, unlike our world, you have no God, no ultimate judge, whom you fear or at least respect. In our world, it is simple to give someone like this a divine experience and change their life forever. But in your world, there is no authority to call upon, they don't even fear Witch or what Saetan could do to them in Hell, because they don't believe."

There was a thoughtful silence that went on for some time before Karla asked, "What about Mother Night?"

Azazeal gave her and Jaenelle a questioning look.

"Mother Night," Jaenelle repeated, "What if she really existed, what if we conjured her up and gave her a purpose. What if she punished those who forsake the Blood laws and Daemon, Saetan and I could merely be her invisible hands at work?"

"That would scare the shit out of people," Lucivar growled happily, "And what about me? I can be an invisible hand!"

Azazeal considered the notion, "It may work and if there's one thing I'm good at," he said smoothly, "it's creating a nice myth!"

* * *

Later when the group had broken up into smaller groups to share their ideas and relax, Lucivar caught Lucifer whispering to a wide-eyed Marion. He tapped Daemon on the shoulder and they shared a wry smile before he went over to save his wife.

"And what exactly is it so important that you sharing it with my wife in such a low voice?"

"You'll find out soon enough," Lucifer said with a mischievous smile and Marion did an impressive job imitating him. So much so that a wave of desire rolled through Lucivar with uncomfortable intensity and then he found himself being lead away from his own wife by Lucifer. He glanced down and the hand that was pulling him away and saw the gleam of one of Lucifer's wedding bracelets from under his sleeve.

"How's the protecting going?" Lucivar asked with a hint of a teacher's self-importance, "There's no more dropping her off mountain tops and forgetting her moon times, is there?"

Lucifer gave him an arrogant look, "I've learned quite a few tricks from the guardian angels to add to your lessons. She's well taken care of, don't you worry about that."

"You don't have to be so nasty about it," Lucivar said wrenching his arm out of Lucifer's tightening grasp and feeling a surge of anger.

"I apologize," Lucifer said, his expression softening, "I get testy when I remember how foolish I used to be about her safety."

Lucivar only nodded.

* * *

Lucifer was then snatched away from Lucivar by Azazeal with uncharacteristic rudeness.

Lucivar watched as they had a brief discussion and then placed themselves side by side near Cassie and Elizabeth and waited for them to turn around. When they did, both Azazeal and Lucifer graced them with a strangely boyish smiles.

Lucivar watched as Lucifer shouldered Azazeal, encouraging him to speak for the both of them, and then receive a blistering glare from Azazeal before he turned back to the Ladies with his smile restored.

"We miss the kids," Azazeal announced.

"Well, they're hardly kids any more," Cassie said.

"Irrelevant," Lucifer declared, "We want to see them."

Cassie could not help but find this cute and in fact, she and Elizabeth had been discussing the same feelings. Perhaps they were all connected in this, it was hard to tell sometimes if it was the angels picking up on their feelings or the girls being influenced by the angels but it hardly mattered in the end.

"We've been thinking the same thing, actually," Elizabeth said, "And we also mentioned to Jaenelle that more angels might make this a bit easier so…"

"Excellent!" Lucifer exclaimed.

"…we will probably cut our visit here short and arrange a meeting in our world for Jaenelle with a select group of angels. We'll be back here soon, of course, so there's no sense in delaying our project any longer."

So the rest of the day was spent showing their guests a few last interesting things before letting them get their things together to leave the next morning.

* * *

After breakfast the next day, the whole Coven turned out to say their good byes as many of them would not be around when Cassie, Elizabeth, and their angels returned. A few burgeoning friendships had been formed so the leave taking was not merely formal.

As Cassie and Elizabeth made their round of hugs, Azazeal and Lucifer watched with indulgent smiles, but made no attempt to approach anyone. The Blood were far more tactile towards each other than the angels were, but their open affection towards Cassie and Elizabeth had made the Coven forget that. In this social situation, however, their reluctance to touch anyone without a specific purpose, such as to heal or to move that person, made them appear strange. Everyone understood, they had noticed the same thing when they arrived, but it reminded them of how different they were.

Jaenelle, however, grabbed Azazeal and hugged him breathless, which he bore patiently. She then flung herself into Lucifer's arms, who obligingly caught her but regarded her with amused confusion.

"Thank you both so much!" She said earnestly.

"We haven't succeeded yet," Azazeal said, practically.

"But we will, I know we will." To which they angels only shrugged.

* * *

Before they left, among the other advice that Lucifer felt obliged to bestow upon people, he felt the need to corner Daemon and inform him that, "You're going to rut again soon."

"That's not possible, it's only been…"

"Trust me, it's coming. And, by the way, I told Jaenelle about a few things she should try out before then, you know, things to further your…re-education in the bedroom."

"Why would you do that?"

"That's what she asked," Lucifer said in honest bafflement at the coincidence, "But I explained and I think she gets it."

Daemon couldn't decide if he should kill Lucifer or just faint from the knee-buckling sense of desire mixed with dread that Lucifer's words created. Both options had their appeal, but instead he just put his fingers to his temple and tried to forget about it altogether.

* * *

**_Thila-Quasahi_: Source of Bliss**

**Oee-Tol: Ecstasy of Everything**

**_Mad-Im: _Expressing God**

**_Mo-Mar Carina_: Be Crowned in Glory**

**_Carina Pir_: Glorious Brightness**

**_Elonusahe: _Exalted In Power**

**_Ipzi-Adna-Tilb: _Bends Into Obedience for Her**

**_El_: God**

**_Na_: I**

**_Hoath_: Worship**

**As before I have taken these words from an Enochian dictionary. Some words have been slightly modified for simplicity. In my imagination, angelic does not always have all of the verb tenses and words that we have. For instance in my angelic, _Na _would mean 'I, I am, me, my, myself, mine', while _De_ means 'you, your, yours, yourself' and so on. Also _Hoath _means 'worship, worshipper, worshipping,' etc. so that the meaning behind the actual sound becomes more important. Also some words such as 'of, to, in, with, for' or even 'who, whose, you, your' may not always be used, again stressing the importance of what the speaker is trying to express rather than the sounds made.**

**Therefore, _Na Hoath_ could mean "I worship" or "I am your worshipper" but in this chapter would mean something more along the lines of "The one who I worship" or "Whose worshipper I am."**


	36. Chapter 36

Daemon, who had also seen Azazeal and Lucifer complain that they missed their children, suspected alternate motives, but when he and Jaenelle watched from the other side of the window between worlds that Lucifer created (which he forgot to close until several minutes later), he saw two men truly delighted at the reunion.

Azazeal beamed at Sara and Malachi with a smile that was second only to those he gave to Cassie. He scooped Sara into his arms for a quick squeeze and then his arms were wrapped around a slightly embarrassed Malachi.

"Did you keep yourself out of trouble?" he asked Malachi when he let him go.

"It's only been a week and a half, dad."

"My point exactly!"

Malachi gave his father his own mischievous grin but said, "Ella and I have been keeping the angels in line for you and other than a few issues that will need Elizabeth or Cassie's assistance, everything's great."

"Good." Azazeal said, like a general having heard a satisfactory report of his troops performance and Malachi looked proud at receiving such a commendation.

Cassie gave Malachi a hug and kiss of her own and then she and Sara began mysterious female conversation that both Malachi and Azazeal knew better than to interrupt.

* * *

Lucifer also brightened in a particular way when he saw Luke and Bryan though in his enthusiasm he grabbed both of them at once and ignored their protests of pain and mortification, both of which they exaggerated as much as possible.

This was the first opportunity that Daemon had to see Lucifer as a father in action. Daemon had thought it interesting that while Azazeal would weave a fact-filled story for any question you could come up with, the only stories you were capable of getting out of Lucifer where about his sons. These he shared at random moments when he wasn't offering humiliating advice, causing mischief, talking about Elizabeth or so focused on Elizabeth that no one else existed.

This was the man who had made the world into a personal petting zoo for his boys where the animals came and introduced themselves and would never harm them. This was the guy who had shown them the most remote corners of the world and explained how each natural wonder had been made as if the Earth were simply one large national park and he'd just read up on it on the Internet. This was the father who had given a piece of himself to a woman and still marveled at what she had created with it and that he could see himself in his sons, as if he hadn't been involved in the creation of the very planet they lived on and wasn't aware of exactly how the process worked in mind numbing detail.

And as the window closed, Daemon felt a stirring deep inside and knew it was time to tell Jaenelle what Lucifer had told him. The rut was coming. For all that he knew that it was just a biological imperative he wondered if it was the answer to his confused feelings about having children.

* * *

When Cassie saw number of angels Azazeal had 'selected' to assist in their work in Jaenelle's world, she was at a lost for words. Of course, he was quite proud of himself and clearly excited about the prospect of this new project. It was different from those they had completed in her own world because Azazeal and the angels knew the rules and the playing field. This new project would be more challenging.

She had to tell him no, she just had to, but she needed to talk to Elizabeth. She'd just been able to assimilate the advice Elizabeth had given her about Azazeal's…word selection. She didn't trust herself to be able to curb his enthusiasm without crushing his confidence.

"Ah, yes," Elizabeth had said when Cassie had asked her about the things Azazeal had called and the things he had said, "It's all fine while they're following the script and conveniently leaving out the divine bits. It's when they improvise that we have a problem."

Cassie regarded Elizabeth skeptically and she laughed to herself.

"It's not a problem, nothing's going to happen to you or Azazeal, Lucifer's been saying the most ridiculously embarrassing things for years now. Just learn to live with it," Elizabeth laughed again.

"But…I'm not…so it's just…I can't bare to…"

"Cassie," Elizabeth turned serious, "I know how you feel, believe me I do, but trying to discourage it will only make him more desperate. I've had Lucifer breakdown and beg me to give him an errand or tell him any small thing he could do for me as if everything rested on it. I thought the new behavior was to make up for a recent mistake at first and then I thought it was a new game, but really it was me. He didn't understand why I wasn't receptive to his…_hoath. _So I had to change. "

Cassie lost all heart to complain any further and Elizabeth softened.

"Look, they feel things that we don't and they've decided that some part of us is comparable to the divine. It's not meant to offend," and Elizabeth gave Cassie a meaningful look and pointed upwards and now Cassie laughed, "So, just relax and let him go. I actually helps really."

Of course, now Cassie was afraid to inhibit him in any way and Elizabeth was off taking care of an issue with one of her angelic charges.

* * *

Bilarel clung to Elizabeth with a fierceness that belied his gentle nature. His body shook as he cried, bravely unconcerned about the fact that Lucifer might take exception to this appalling informality, because he could not have known that Lucifer had departed shortly after seeing the state he was in.

Bilarel had been left again. It was the fifth time, well the fifth official time, and if Elizabeth could have adopted him into her own heart, she would have, but she didn't really have what he needed…not any more.

The first time she'd felt bad, the second time she'd been angry, and the third time she was so livid that she had futilely questioned any angel she thought might be able to help her find someone better for him next time, but it was a causal remark from Lucifer that told her what the problem was.

"He is comfort to the abandoned," Lucifer had stated simply and shrugged.

Elizabeth had whirled on him and shouted, her emotions giving her quick understanding of how this applied to Bilarel's situation, coupled by the fact that she had acted the same way in the past.

"So, he loves them, he cares for them, and they punish him for it eventually, as if he were the one who'd left them years ago?"

Lucifer looked uncomfortable. He did not know the answer to her question, but she knew she was right. As a real angel, he would not be effected by these losses in the same way. He would be sad but he would move on to the next person who needed his invisible comfort but on the human plane of existence it was very different. Oh, he would move on, the next time he encountered someone who needed him, he would perk up again, but the times in between were tough. Of course, Elizabeth could never figure out what would happen if he actually fixed someone and they stayed with him (she could always hope). Would he move on or would he tell them that he was an angel and make a life with them as so many others had done?

For now all she could do was hold him and remind him that the world was full of people that needed him and that she needed him. And it would work, it had worked before, and he might shadow her for a while, keeping her company when Lucifer was away, taking a small bit of pride in that at least because there was a small bit of her that remembered what it was like to feel abandoned.

* * *

When Cassie saw Elizabeth, she knew she needed cheering up. She let her give the news about Bilarel and then she asked, "Do you know how many angels Azazael has decided are necessary to help Jaenelle?"

When Cassie told her, it had the intended effect. Laughing uncontrollably, Elizabeth said, "And I thought we had over exuberance issues!"

"It's not that funny," Cassie said unexpectedly defensive.

"Oh, of course it is, and the best part is that he's doing it for you. Oh, I'm sorry, I really am but I have to laugh at it or it's too much."

This Cassie understood and laughed a bit herself.

"Now for the hard part, dear," Cassie said still in stitches, "How do I tell him no?"

They giggled a while longer before getting down to the question at hand.


	37. Chapter 37

It hadn't been hard convincing Azazeal to scale down the assault on Kaeleer.

"Just be confident and practical," Elizabeth had told Cassie, "He's not likely to get offended, it's not really in their nature, just tell him you were thinking of something smaller and work with him to pare it down to just essentials."

Cassie had nodded.

"Oh, and Bilarel's coming too," Elizabeth had said and Cassie had made face indicating that, while she loved Bilarel, she didn't want to have to convince Azazeal that he was essential.

"Don't argue with me, he's not going to leave my side anyway and he might be helpful."

"Alright, fine, but he's your responsibility," Cassie had admonished in mock authority and went off to handle Azazeal.

* * *

When the considerably smaller group was introduced to Jaenelle and Daemon before they would be allow to enter Kaeleer, they were pleasantly surprised at how much they liked all of the angels (of course Cassie could have told them that they would). Azazeal introduced them to each one and explained their function, not that either Jaenelle or Daemon really understood, but it felt right to know.

So, discussions were had and strategies were developed and a date was set for the roll out of the project to give Mother Night some teeth. It would take time, quite a bit of time in fact, but it was a process and Jaenelle hoped that it would help the people of her world monitor themselves.

Cassie had been infected by Azazeal's excitement and they were quickly absorbed in the details and intricacies of the undertaking.

Elizabeth, however, was initially distracted by a heart-wrenching calamity that shook her to the core. As soon as Bilarel saw Surreal, he latched on to her. Now, Elizabeth liked Surreal and deep down she knew she deserved someone that loved her like Bilarel could but she just couldn't let him do this.

"Bilarel, please," she pleaded, "Don't do this."

But he just smiled at her with his warm and knowing look and said, "She needs me."

Elizabeth knew this would happen the next time he found someone. It was always as if he forgot all of the pain he'd just been in or that somehow after finding someone that needed him, he was willing to risk it again. And she could not stop him, well, she could order him not to see her, she had that kind of authority, though she'd never used it, but what would be the point? It was his calling and who was she to gainsay that.

"Just don't fall in love with her," Elizabeth said, in hopes it would work, "She's a good woman but she's a hard woman, don't force it."

Bilarel beamed more brightly at her and his smile of deep understanding comforted her even in her worry for him. He bent down and kissed her cheek before turning away to find he's new friend.

All Elizabeth could hope now was that he didn't fall in love with her. He had helped many people over the years without getting too attached and had a large group of friends for whom he was always there, though they didn't know that he used angelic powers to do so. It was the ones that, for whatever reason, he fell head over heals for who caused the profound grief that Elizabeth had helped him through so many times. She knew she would do it again and as many times as he needed, but she didn't want to have to see the reason for his pain right in front of her every time she visited Kaeleer.

Eventually, Elizabeth shook her concern off and focused on the matter at hand. They all visited Kaleer regularly for several months working with Jaenelle, Daemon, and Lucivar through Kaeleer and then began preparations to take on Terrelle.

* * *

For a little break the Ladies decided that another trip to the beach was required. Mostly for the relaxation this time, rather than swimming, so Elizabeth took them to a favorite spot of hers with soft white sand and no one, literally, for miles. Cassie didn't even know where they were and didn't want to ask.

Before they had left, they had been gathered in Elizabeth's California home to equip themselves, when Cassie snickered and whispered something to Jaenelle. She then asked rather loudly if Elizabeth had some baby oil because she liked to mix her suntan lotion with it. Elizabeth suppressed a smile and said, "Oh sure!" but the real fun was watching Lucifer's face go slack and his eyes widen comically.

When she got a chance later, Jaenelle said, "You have to tell me what gets Lucifer to worked up at the mention of this stuff."

"Just put a little in your hand," Elizabeth said, "and knead it into Daemon's skin and you'll find out. It's not actually the best stuff for a massage, but…it does the trick."

On a whim one day earlier in their relationship (and after their sons were on their own), Elizabeth had decided that she just wanted to touch Lucifer. It happened sometimes, this strange urge to just run her hands over him, but she felt she deserved to do what she wanted considering all the time she had spent under the spell of his skillful attentions.

She'd laid out towels on the bed and he'd rather cockily stripped and stretched out on his stomach for her when she asked. In a moment of inspiration, she'd grabbed the baby oil and the rest was the satisfying feel of his hard and slick muscles beneath her hands and the low rumble of his contentment. When his rumble had died down, she turned him over and sound returned with renewed force until eventually, after she'd covered every inch of him, she left him in a half dozing state in which he looked extremely cute.

About fifteen minutes later, he had appeared in front of her in the living room, still nude, still glistening, and just looked at her and then himself and then her again, until she motioned for him to come over to her and, with utter disregard for the mess he was making, he laid on the couch, putting his head in her lap. She slid her hand onto his chest and continued reading her book. He didn't put on clothes or move out of her reach for the rest of the day.

Lucifer had told Azazeal and Azazeal had informed Cassie, of course this was before Cassie had realized that to be 'informed' of something by Azazeal generally meant it was important. Azazeal had started to develop his whole theory of the significance of touch around this occurrence and what Lucifer had told him about it, but Cassie merely found it entertaining to randomly mention baby oil and watch Lucifer's reaction. She knew more about the incident now but it was still uplifting to get under his skin.

Lucifer had explained to Elizabeth later that in that moment as he had stood there in bewilderment he hadn't known what to do with his body anymore, he hadn't known what it was for if it wasn't experiencing her touch and that had made the separation between them distressing. He'd always thought of himself as hers but that was the first time he'd felt it as a physical imperative that went beyond mere sexual desire. It was on that day that solidified his fascination with feeling her touch him, elevating it to the level of meaning that it currently held. Conversely, it was also the day he suspected that if she ever actually punished him in anger again that it would hurt now in a way that was completely unlike their sex play.


	38. Chapter 38

They had all really needed the break and the get away to Elizabeth's beach because Azazeal had been running them all, especially Cassie, ragged with work, Daemon had rutted, Lucifer had nearly killed someone, and Elizabeth had been watching Surreal and Bilarel like a hawk.

At a ball in Little Terreille, the main group was stalking a couple of Queen's they had identified as needing "help" getting past their recently developed violent tendencies. Elizabeth was off keeping an eye on Bilarel, with Cassie tagging along to complain that they weren't dancing or something, and trying to convince herself that Cassie's determination was correct that Bilarel was not falling in love with Surreal. Surreal tolerated him and was even, almost, slightly friendly at times, but though he was doing her some good, Bilarel was not becoming attached to her. It was Elizabeth that needed to let her fears go.

"Uhm, Elizabeth?" Cassie said tapping her shoulder for effect, "I don't mean to tell you your business but whatever it is that Lucifer's doing over there with Daemon and Lucivar, it doesn't look good!"

Elizabeth turned around to smile at Cassie and then towards Lucifer to share in the joke, but then to her horror saw that he was actually choking one of the target Queens. Not with his hand, as he sometimes forgot to act bodily, but with his mind.

* * *

"Good Evening." Daemon had crooned to the red-jeweled Queen who immediately gave him a once over and an arrogantly entitled grin that assumed that his attention was due to some wonderful quality that she exhibited unknowingly.

"Good Evening, Prince," she had replied condescendingly and he tried not to cringe.

"Have you met my brother, Lucivar, and a friend of mine from Terreille, Lucifer?"

"Why no, I don't believe I've had the pleasure," she had gushed and lifted a limp hand for it to be kissed but none of them moved. The look on her face was priceless and while Daemon knew they shouldn't be doing this, it was supremely satisfying to play with a representation of all of those Queen's who had played with him. He thought only in passing that this was possibly a residual effect of the strong rut he'd just been through, having so recently been in an instinctual mode that had no concern for the feelings of others.

The now uncomfortable Queen turned her attention to Lucifer. The one from Terreille, she thought, would have more understanding of how a Queen should be treated, rather than these ones that Jaenelle let run wild.

"How are you liking Kaaleer and your new Queen? I hope that there aren't any diversions that you are missing," she had said provocatively, assuming, of course, that he was under contract to a Queen from Kaaleer as required by law.

"Oh, my Queen keeps me extremely diverted," Lucifer had replied.

"Ah, that's good to hear," she had said and then put her hand on his arm and leaned in to whisper in his ear, "But I could make sex with her seem tedious."

"Could you?" Lucifer had asked through now gritted teeth, which she mistook for desire.

"Definitely," she had murmured and then found her breathing restricted by a phantom hand. She clawed at her throat but it did her no good and Daemon and Lucivar looked on in satisfaction. For them the bitch deserved it, as such women always did, and Lucifer was only doing, in his own special style, what they would have done.

* * *

Elizabeth slipped next to Lucifer and said in an even tone, "Let her go," which Lucifer did and the Queen collapsed to the floor. The crowd was vaguely aware that someone had collapsed so Daemon squatted down next to the woman and pretended to help her as Jaenelle now drifted over.

"What the hell happened?" Elizabeth shouted in a low voice, "Wait I don't even need to know, you two," she glared at the bewildered Daemon and Lucivar who had not expect to get into trouble, "Don't encourage him!"

She stopped at that as if that explained everything but they were confused.

Jaenelle chuckled to herself because Cassie and Elizabeth had taken up the role of sisters to Lucivar and Daemon and felt authorized to scold them as such in a very different way than she herself or Surreal did. It was made more amusing by the fact that Cassie and Elizabeth had no notion of being far less powerful and therefore less entitled to scold because they were so used to dealing with beings with far more power than themselves.

"We were just…uhm…playing with her, you know, intimidating her and then she said something to him and…," Lucivar began on his and his brothers behalf, but by now they had both noticed the wild look in Lucifer's eyes. He was scanning the whole room including them over and over again seeming to be calculating possibilities. They also noticed that the feeling of him being in constant rut had morphed into an undirected and violent sexuality that seemed ready to unleash itself at random.

"I'm sorry," Elizabeth said but it didn't sound like an apology but more like a way to inturrupt him.

Elizabeth was annoyed with them but she knew that she couldn't expect them to know that the essence behind this particular act had been one of Lucifer's favorite things to do and that they had encouraged it. He wouldn't have killed the Queen, not without her permission, but among his obsessions while being evil had been one that involved watching a person come to realize that they were going to die as it was happening and that there was nothing they could do to stop it. This also had eventually encompassed a more complex version where he would lead a person to destroy their life, their family, and their souls knowing all the while that what they were losing and doing it anyway. He had taken pleasure in their anguish to alleviate his own and was a familiar rush.

"When he's out on his own, so to speak," she continued, "he has a tendency to use people's reactions to his behavior as a guide to the appropriateness of his actions. You…you both enjoyed it so…anyway, it's over now," she finished and took Lucifer's arm who followed her to near by bench. She sat him down and then sat astride his lap facing him, her knees on either side of his legs.

"Do you want to play a game?" She said to him and he focused on her but his eyes were still wild from the rush of what he'd done.

"What kind of game?" He replied sounding more like his naughty self.

"You'll find out!" she said and they disappeared.

* * *

Later that night, as they all snuck out of the party early, Daemon was walking down the upstairs hall way and decided to check in on Lucifer who he knew was alone because he'd just seen Elizabeth down stairs. He knocked at the door and received no reply but considering the occupant, this did not surprise him. He figured that Lucifer was sulking after having a blistering talking to by Elizabeth which he assumed would cause at least as much shame as when Jaenelle did it to him.

Daemon opened the door slightly and called, "Lucifer," quietly into the room. Still no reply. He opened the door wider and then his hand dropped from the doorknob back to his side as he stared in shock and felt his rage bubbling up to the surface.

As Lucifer stood there, his wrists tied together above his head high on the tall bed post, his back criss-crossed with the marks of some kind of whip, his mind projecting a strange kind of sexual craving, Daemon could not help but see his _saffamate _dosed brother there instead, though his mind had significantly exaggerated the number and severity of the whip marks. He approached slowly once he controlled his rage enough to move. He went around to the side of the bed and saw that Lucifer's eyes were closed.

"Did she punish you?" Daemon asked in a low voice that might have been mistaken for concern but which characteristically signaled his rage.

Lucifer's eyes flew open, regarding Daemon darkly and he assumed he had his answer. He reached up to untie Lucifer's wrists and was startled by a voice at the open door.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

He turned to see Azazeal standing in the doorway.

"She…" Daemon started.

"If she left him there, that's where she wants him. He will not let you move him."

Daemon open his mouth as if to respond and then, after confirming that the look in Lucifer's eyes was anger directed at him, he drifted passed Azazeal and down stairs with Azazeal following him close enough to feel the chilling cold coming off of him. They passed Elizabeth on her way up the stairs but Daemon managed to ignore her.

* * *

The next day, Elizabeth and Lucifer skipped breackfast and a worried tension that felt distinctly male overtook the room when Elizabeth and Lucifer finally joined the group. That was until Lucifer joined the boy's little side group and flopped down in a chair dramatically. All eyes were on him and then he leaned towards Azazeal and said with a lazy grin loudly enough for all of the boys to hear, "That woman does the most wonderfully horrible things to me and, let me tell you, it's not mercy I beg for!"

Azazeal just smiled at him, knowing that no response was required, but said anyway, "No, I expect not."

"What do you beg for?" Daemon said through clenched teeth.

Lucifer seemingly avoided the question and said naughtily, "Submission is my highest purpose," at which Daemon snarled in response.

"Easy, Tiger," Lucifer responded with typical amusement but then continued more seriously, "She had to assert control again, she had to be sure," then changing back to his sexy rumble, "And I, of course, held out for as long as I could, you've got to play the game, you know, make her really work for it, but damn she knows what makes me melt like butter."

This was obviously the opposite of what had happened because the truth was as he had said, submission was indeed what he had begged for, from almost the beginning, because when his head cleared he had known that he had disappointed her. All he wanted was to be back where he had been: under her control.

Elizabeth quickly satisfied herself that he had not acted truly maliciously, but had simply reacted and then continued based on Daemon and Lucivar's complacence. She pushed him on the bed and he let her but watched her with calculating eyes that meant that he might turn the tables on her at any time. She was used to this but it hadn't happened in quite some time. She straddled him and gave him a passionate kiss aimed at reminding him who she was, then continued to tease him a bit with her mouth to ensure his undivided attention.

When she asked him, "Do you want to please me?" the immediate and resounding eagerness of the affirmative that came from him was overwhelming and underlying it was a familar sense of fear that he had gone too far this time. She reassured him that he was still hers, but his punishment, that wasn't really a punishment but rather an opportunity for him to make amends, was to wait…wanting to proclaim his surrender, wanting to yield everything, and sing to her of his unending love, but giving only his body and waiting for her allow him to give more. And it was a tactic that he appreciated because he had wanted to prove his obedience again and would not have been satisfied with simple forgiveness, but he had no desire to feel her real anger ever again.

He'd appreciated it so much that he used the only things he could (his lips, his hands, his tongue, his hips, everything) to try to worship her, but his eagerness made him incapable of succeeding in this effort which normally came easily to him. It had always had amazed Elizabeth those times when he could make a simple touch a benediction but this time it was his turn to by amazed yet again at how she could fluster him so completely. Despite failing to create a more profound experience, he pleasured her numerous times and added more than one thundering climax of his own to the accounting of things given to her.

As he lay in the aftermath of one such experience, she stroked his back for a while and then rose from the bed. She reached out a hand to him, which he gave to her, and she lead him off of the bed. She guided him over to one of the bed posted at the end of the bed and he watched her as she took his hands and stretched them up high on the post. She disappeared from his view and then she returned quickly with something to secure his hands. That done, she ran a hand down his back again and over his buttocks slowly and softly. He shuddered and let out a quiet moan.

She no longer bothered to wonder anymore how he could want this too. He knew what she was going to do to him and he wanted it, not just didn't mind, he wanted it. Pleasure brought worship and pain brought surrender and he needed both, so he sought both. Oh, he knew that pain was the opposite of pleasure (pleasure is a slow aching burn and pain is a sharp searing brand) but it didn't really hurt him, not in the way it would hurt a mortal or even Azazeal, who was much closer to human. It could sting though...if it needed to.

Elizabeth knew that he had was a being that could feel the intention and purpose behind an act which was how he had shifted so easily from it only being used as punishment, when he had used to need some sense knocked into his wildly out of control self, to it being a game that they sometimes played. He had never stopped wanting the experience, the surrender that the pain brought, and the opportunity to prove his love so explicitly, but he knew the difference between her acting out of anger and her doing what she liked with him out of love and out of trust in his love for her. If the pain for discipline, as when she'd let Azazael lash him to shreds, he would understand and he would feel it in every stripe. He vaguely remembered now how much it had hurt him in the beginning, but he had been too unruly and used to his agony that he had not really noticed this new torment, especially since it brought a temporary cessation of his angelic pain with the sweetness of yielding to her. Once she had decided to take him on, it had been her that introduced the device of a punitive act to give direction to her anger and disappointment and her desire that he return to obedience. She had taken his favorable reaction to letting Azazeal punish him and used it as her last resort when being a seductress did not work and it took more than sex and an forceful demands to get him under some semblance of control. She had been expressing her displeasure but Lucifer had only felt that strong and irresistible desire in her to do something to his body that came from a very dark and private place in her mind. He, of course, wanted to give it to her and when he did a more all-encompassing submission came with it.

They had been communicating very different things to each other and eventually they understood one another. She learned what it mean to have an angel devoted to her and that not allowing him to serve her was its own form of punishment. Lucifer learned what forgiveness felt like once he had paid the price for his transgression. Both punishment and forgiveness had been a foreign concepts to him since he had never been meant to disobey. Once he had, he was rejected, but but in his mind never had never really been disciplined because the key ingredient of forgiveness afterwards had never been bestowed. It had taken Lucifer a while to stop acting out and seeking the pain for the surrender and forgiveness that followed. Eventually, he as he loved her more and more he realized that she would never stop forgiving him and that she deserved the absolute submission that she now had from him.

This, of course, created its own set of problems because it meant that if she felt like inflicting pain, he wanted to experience it. Pleasure Elizabeth had always understood the value of but she sort of turned a blind eye to the fact that she was excited by his acceptance of pain merely for her pleasure. She would only go so far as to accept that it was a kinky sex thing, but deep down there was part of her that felt what it represented between them: the outrageousness of a man willing to endure torture for her. That was how deep his submission was, how absolute his love was, and she now scratched the surface to the point where she was comfortable, but in the end their games made his meaning perfectly clear to the part of her that needed to accept it.

So now that pain was just for her enjoyment...well...it came with its own special sensations and emotions. Ultimately, though, his intention was still same as when he had freaked out in the past and done evil to get her attention. When he now toyed with her jealousy to get a rise out of her, he wanted to do something deeply intimate and meaningful for her. At least now Elizabeth knew where the strange imagery he sent her and the bizarre things he wanted to do for her came from.

Elizabeth stood there a moment contemplating this and wondering what the whip did feel like if it didn't hurt him...but she knew, she realized because his response told her. She gave him several good cracks, which he answered with familiar cries that became increasingly ragged but did not lose the passionate sigh that let her know there was pleasure too. Those where the sounds that thrilled the part of her he so loved to touch. His body shuddered exquisitely with each strike as if she had plucked a delicate cord in him that resonated a thrill through his entire being. It was pleasure, there was no doubting that, but a pleasure that only a perfectly devoted creature could experience.

Despite the twisted gratification that Elizabeth felt in doing this, her heart wasn't in it to really torment him, so she left him there a while to yearn for his reward a little longer.

When she had come back, she was unaware that Lucifer had had a visitor and in fact never found out that Daemon had seen him like that. She had untied his wrists, turned him around, and watched him tremble as he held back…everything.

When she had given him the mental permission to finally submit himself, she had expected…well…a tumble of words, a shivering mass at her feet, but the trembling had stopped and he remained standing silently in front of her. He had yield everything so willingly that he gone to a place where there were no words or corresponding bodily acts for the depth of his love and submission. His eyes blazed with feeling and when she touched him their fire deepened. She could feel his essence expand around her, touch her softly at the same time his hand did, and in that touch he conveyed what he could not in mortal terms. She knew that it wasn't her body that felt these things and it was no longer his body that she was touching, but she could only perceive it as it would have appeared to a person watching him. Two lovers caressing each other.

Eventually she led him to the bed and arraigned their forms to that she held him and before long some words did come in the form of her favorite angelic song. She had never admitted to having a favorite but he knew, of course, and used it accordingly.

_Next chapter: Daemon's rut_


	39. Chapter 39

"Beale, where are Daemon and Jaenelle?" Azazeal had asked pleasantly after arriving in Kaaleer with Cassie to discuss the next operation with Jaenelle and Daemon.

"Indisposed, sir." Beale had replied.

Azazeal had scowled in annoyance and Cassie had smiled to herself remembering how that look used to frighten her. Now she knew that he just detested his plans being interfered with.

"Indisposed? Just tell me where they are."

"I'm afraid that I can't…they should not be disturbed."

"I will be the judge of that!" Azazeal had said in his most menacing tone and before Cassie could corral him and apologize to Beale, the poor butler was spilling the beans.

"They're in the study," Beale had announced and turned on his heel and left them.

* * *

Azazeal didn't bother knocking, quickly turning the knob and wrenching the door open despite the Black locks on the door, he strode in with Cassie trailing after him. Cassie was already planning how to take over the situation and get him refocused on her, when she heard Azazeal chuckle and then a deep threatening growl answer him. She looked up and then took a step back from the scene before her.

It would have been enough, actually, to see Daemon and Jaenelle naked as the day they were born, but what she saw as less a man and a woman making love, but more a predator feeling threatened over a….a freshly killed meal. Jaenelle didn't speak but did free a hand to stroke Daemon's left flank. He turn his attention towards her only long enough to snarl at her and then nibble at her breast but his eyes never left Azazeal and Cassie.

"Well," Azazeal said apparently finding this situation more humorous than dangerous, "I can see that our meeting has been cancelled, but I wish I'd had some notice."

At this Daemon rose off of Jaenelle, who remained reclined on the couch, and prepared himself to attack. Azazeal smiled and stepped in front of Cassie, knowing that even in his rut he would hesitate to attack an angel after what Lucifer had done to him last time.

"Alright," Azazeal said putting up his hands, "To whoever is coherent enough to understand, we're going to have to delay our next conquest and fit her in at that ball next week with that other one. Assuming, of course, that you two are done screwing each other."

Jaenelle gave a slight nod from where she lay but Daemon understood nothing but that there was a male who refused to leave and a female that infuriated him. He sprang forward, as fluidly and elegantly as a cat, his nakedness adding to the beauty and menace of this action, but Azazeal and Cassie were gone before he reached them.

His fury made his confusion only lasted for a moment and then he turned back to his mate. She had moved. She was standing near the book shelves now which was enough of a challenge to his dominance on this, the second day of his rut, that he caught her in his piercing gaze like a doe in headlights and before she knew it she was pressed up against the books, riding his rough passion with her legs wrapped around his waist.

When he had spent himself, he leaned against her for a while, panting before carrying her back to the couch but then deciding that the floor was better, he laid her down on a plush rug after vanishing the coffee table that had sat on it. He stretched out next to her and began to kiss her insistantly but still relatively gently, occasionally rubbing his body against her. He would mate with her again as soon as his body was able, as he had for the last day and a half, but in the meantime he would keep her compliant. However, Daemon fell asleep for the first time since the rut had started before he could mount her again.

* * *

Jaenelle woke up and Daemon was gone. Hunting, she suspected, since the house was dark and quiet. He would be in the kitchen destroying Mrs. Beale's neat and orderly domain. Jaenelle could sense that the house remained evacuated, thanks to Beale's quick thinking everyone had been kicked out when she had alerted him that Daemon was about to trap her in the study. Beale himself had been the only person who had entered the house since then and only during the day when the front door had to be monitored, which Daemon seeming willing to allow. That was until Azazeal and Cassie had burst in.

Just then the door flew open and Daemon returned with his spoils…Mrs. Beale was going to kill him, rut or not, when she saw the state of her kitchen. He arraigned first the food and drink and then himself on the floor next to her and waited impatiently for her to start. She looked at him with a faint smile before choosing a sandwich of some kind and taking a bite. It was, she knew, of supreme importance that she accept the food he offered, but though the refusal of the food meant she did not want to mate with him, the reaction that she would get would not be sadness and disappointment but something more violent. Not that she believed for a second that Daemon, even in this state, would actually hurt her but he was too controlled by his hormones at the moment and he might do something he would regret. This rut, like the prior rut, was strong because he had been holding them back and as before, he did not speak much or allow any clothing. What amused Jaenelle more was that he appeared unwilling to move to the bedroom. This is where the rut had started and this is where they were going to remain until he came out of it.

* * *

Jaenelle woke again with a blanket covering her from the waist down, but she was still on the floor of the study. The blanket was from their bedroom, she recognized it, and yet Daemon had not moved her, only retreived a blanket. She rolled over on to her back and found Daemon watching her from the couch. He almost seemed normal except that his was still naked and there was still a certain light in his eyes that she knew well by now.

He got up off of the couch and slipped next to her on the floor. He looked at her and scanned her body seemingly reviewing where each of the bruises and bite marks had come from over the past four days. Then he nuzzled at the teeth impressions on her neck, he licked the bruises on her wrists, he kissed the scratch marks on her back, giving attention to each part of her that had been marked since the rut had turned fierce, until they were both aroused and yearning for each other.

Jaenelle estimated that by the end of tomorrow, the fifth day, his rut would be over. It had followed an arc from mere passion to viciousness to gentleness and it would be over soon. Her only concern was how he would feel about what he'd done to her afterward.

* * *

When Daemon saw what he'd done to Jaenelle, he was enraged and incensed beyond reason and when she tried to explain to him that she was fine, they were only the marks of their passion, he wouldn't listen. He supervised her healing and beat himself up inside and then they all went to the ball, where he'd started to take out his anger at himself on the Queen they were trying to rehabilitate and almost got her killed by an overzealous Lucifer. Not that Daemon saw it that way.

In the afternoon a few days after the fiasco at the ball, Azazeal called a meeting at Cassie's church (you couldn't get him to refer to it as his anymore) in order to berate everyone for moping around for the last few days.

"We have a mission, you know, or have you all forgotten?" Azazeal started in while Cassie actually bothered to take in what was really going on with their friends.

Daemon, still ignoring his fury at himself, was angry with Elizabeth for what she'd done to Lucifer.

Jaenelle was angry with Daemon because he wouldn't listen to her that he'd done nothing wrong and because he didn't believe she was strong enough to take care of herself.

Lucivar was angry at both Elizabeth and Daemon because they had hurt people that he loved. Yes, he considered Lucifer a good friend now.

Lucifer had become a more quiet form of himself since Elizabeth had corrected him. He was reluctant to leave her side, hesitant to act without her permission, and exceedingly tender with her. Cassie was actually familiar with extended periods of this persona but it was annoying Azazeal, who usually had a blank check in using him for his plans once Elizabeth set him in motion, and Daemon and Lucivar saw it as a reaction to what she had physically done to him. Daemon had, of course, informed Lucivar of what he had seen, but not Jaenelle.

Elizabeth sensed these things from the boys, their faces and attitudes made their opinions clear, but she was stubbornly unwilling to push Lucifer away before he was ready. Elizabeth had told Cassie that she had been worried about Lucifer's fawning but he had told her that he it was not because he was afraid that she would leave him. On the contrary, it was more humiliating and disgraceful to disappoint her now that he knew she would never abandon him. He was just not ready to risk it again yet. Elizabeth and Cassie had shared a little laugh at this logic but it made sense in angelic terms.

"I think," Cassie interrupted whatever Azazeal had been saying and he stopped, "I think we all need a bit of a break. Don't you agree?" She said to Azazeal, who there and then completely forgot about the mission and his failure of a crew and smiled at her brightly.

"Alright," he responded and the relief was instant from everyone in the room, including Cassie herself who he'd been dragging along on all sorts of recognizance missions since everyone else had been useless. She found it interesting that he as actually harder to control that Lucifer, but she'd get the hang of it eventually.

The tight group around Azazeal broke up then and people began to mingle a bit which Cassie hoped would bring about some resolution to everyone's issues.

* * *

As Cassie talked to Azazeal about the little vacation that they would plan for everyone, she watched Elizabeth walk over to Daemon and Lucivar and smiled, glad that Elizabeth too was not willing to let these things lie.

"I'm sorry," Elizabeth said to them.

"Mhm, for what exactly?" Lucivar snapped back and Elizabeth jumped a little at the tone in his voice.

"I shouldn't have yelled at you both like I did. He's my responsibility, not yours."

"Yes, well, apparently, you take your responsibility very seriously," Daemon growled and Elizabeth was confused.

"Well, I'm…I'm just sorry. I just wanted to say that."

"I don't think it's us you should be apologizing to."

"What?"

At that moment, Lucifer slid up behind Elizabeth after having the talk with Jaenelle, Elizabeth had sent him to have, and growled back, "Do we have a problem?"

Daemon was a bit startled by the sudden change in Lucifer and was about to answer when Lucifer stopped him by addressing Elizabeth.

"My dear, would you be so kind as to excuse us for a while? I think there's a discussion we boys need to have….again."

Elizabeth nodded, kissed him and went off to find Jaenelle.

"First, I would thank you to keep what you saw to yourself, Daemon," Lucifer said as soon as Elizabeth was out of ear shot, "It's hard enough for her as it is."

"Hard for her!!" Lucivar spat and Lucifer whirled on him.

"I'm going to spell this all out for you both, on couple of matters, so that we don't have to have this conversation ever again."

Daemon and Lucivar were too shocked by his forceful tone to respond.

"Excellent! Now, that woman gets to do whatever she likes, especially to me, no exceptions. Don't you dare judge her by your standards. I've told you before and you've seen it for yourself, I must submit or I will…I WILL tear everything apart trying to use my power on my own. I have to show her what my surrender means in mortal terms and, yes, to her it means a person devoted enough to suffer for her pleasure, it's not a direct translation but it works, so that went I say _Na Aziagier, _I submit, she understands me. You got that!"

They nodded like schoolboys.

"Second, Daemon, you hurt Jaenelle…deal with it! She was bruised and scratched and bitten and you know what? She's fine! Do you really think that Witch couldn't have stopped you? Do you really think Witch didn't enjoy your rut as much as you did? Do you really think that your little Queen couldn't still shatter your mind in a second if you really turned savage? Ha, and you also must have forgotten to consider the fact that I could still destroy Elizabeth anytime I wanted!"

Daemon looked solemn.

"Daemon, give people some credit would you," Lucifer said more gently, "You don't have to protect everyone…and neither do you," he finished pointing at Lucivar.

Lucifer then turned away abruptly and as if wanting to shed this forceful persona as quickly as possible, went and sat at Elizabeth's feet as she talked to Jaenelle. She smiled at him and stroked his head as she returned to her conversation. He closed his eyes and appeared perfectly content to remain there forever. Both Daemon and Lucivar realized how foolish they had been since Elizabeth was never anything but kind to Lucifer and even now had only gently encouraged him to take initiative again, rather than becoming annoyed at his reluctance or delighted in his subjugation. They might have had a point if she toyed with him and abused him on a regular basis, but though she made plenty of mistakes, she was not cruel to him. They would just have to accept that some of the things that happened between them were part of a strange form of communication made necessary by his angelic nature.

Daemon and Lucivar shared a look of understanding and Lucivar left Daemon with his forgiveness for what he'd done to Jaenelle's body because it was Witch who had seen him through the rut…and she was more terrifying than Daemon on any day.

Daemon wanted to go over to Jaenelle and beg forgiveness. No wonder she'd been cold with him lately. He'd done it again. He'd questioned her strength. If he didn't feel the pulsing power of the Ebony jewels he turned into protector mode and trampled all over her self-sufficiency. How did the other Warlords do it? How did they fuss and defend and protect while allowing the female their freedom to express their power? He'd just have to find out?


	40. Chapter 40

When Daemon was alone with Jaenelle later that night, they looked at each other for a moment, knowing that they were going to have a serious talk.

"I hurt you," he started, stating the obvious.

"Yes," she responded matter of factly and it surprised him that she did not deny it as she had before.

"But you did not injure me," she added, making an important distinction that he felt he could now accept. He nodded.

"Could I have?" he asked with a lump in his throat.

She smiled and said, "I don't really know. Lucifer hints that I'm stronger than I think, but…I've never wanted so much power, Daemon. I'm happy with what the Twilight's Dawn lets me do and if I still have access to the Ebony, I suppose that's fine, but I'm not going to go out of my way to find out."

Daemon nodded again and then looked thoughtful for a while before saying, "It's you I love, you know, not the power. It's Witch, it's having a good Queen to serve, it's…it's you."

This time it was Jaenelle's turn to nod. She'd learned many things from her new friends, one of which was that it was possible for someone to love her and not just her power.

Daemon came close to her and took her in his arms. He kissed her gently and said, "If I get a bit shaky around you, it's love."

He kissed her again

"And if I'm over protective, it's love."

Another kiss

"And if I act like a fool, it's love."

Kiss.

"And if I…"

But Jaenelle took his mouth a bit forcefully and there were no further words spoken.

* * *

So by the time everyone gathered at Elizabeth's house to prepare for a day at an "exclusive beach" they were all in good moods. Elizabeth herself was particularly happy to have found out that Bilarel was no longer with Surreal. They were good friends and you could see the good he'd done for her but he was now off finding a new challenge.

Elizabeth and Azazeal, the organizers, were getting everything together, while Jaenelle, Marian, Cassie took the opportunity to tease Lucifer about baby oil and Lucivar and Daemon about some game called volleyball that Cassie insisted that males played on the beach for the entertainment of their Ladies. The boys didn't buy it, but it was worth a shot.

When they got to Elizabeth's beach, the girls immediately started to strip down to their bikinis, by this time Jaenelle and Marion were expert beach goers, and got ready to spread themselves out to enjoy the sun. The boys milled around a bit trying not to look like they were watching, which they obviously were, before finding a place for themselves to relax. Then Azazeal suddenly strode over to Cassie, who was arranging her towel carefully on the sand, and stood over her waiting in a strangely patient way for her to notice him.

And then she looked up at him…

* * *

Azazeal had that look in his eyes, the one that let Cassie know she was in for quite an experience and then he started humming. The humming was bad…but, you know, bad in a good way.

First, the angels had merely spoken or chanted to them in angelic during moments of pleasure and then it had become more common as the girls learned the language better.

Then had come the occasional singing in angelic, a low, melodic sound that drew out the words as in opera or Georgian chanting and made the sometimes cumbersome language very beautiful. It was obviously not meant to be a spoken language, at least not in the same way a human language was, which was why most regular communication between them was done in mortal languages. The singing, though, required contol and since worship often overtook them in the heat of passion, it was less common.

Finally, had come the humming, always the same tune and always with a certain starry-eyed look. They would never say any words to the song and would never confirm or deny that there were words to it, but it was not just another little tune. Elizabeth's theory, and she tended to be right about such things, was that it was the Gloria. The hymn that's supposedly being continuously sung to God by the angels in heaven as opposed to the songs sung for a specific purpose that the girls heard. She thought that they could sometimes hear it again and would hum along. She saw it as evidence from above that they were doing the right thing and that the angels were acknowledging that God had made their redemption possible. Even if they would not sing along, they could give a little nod to the man upstairs and then they would show their appreciation to their slightly bewildered lovers.

Cassie knew what he would do…in general. Azazeal would start at her neck or at her fingertips or maybe even at her toes and his mouth and hands would flow over her like water, first lapping against her like gentle waves and then submerging her completely. Invariably somewhere in this process, he would forget to make love to her, forget the hardness between his legs, and continue tirelessly adoring her body as if that was pleasure enough. And it was, in its way, because his angelic side didn't need sex. Cassie too experienced enough pleasure to satisfy any craving, but she needed the mortal closure to the act. So he would watch her curiously as she would guide him into her and then she would smile at the look on his face. It was always as if he'd never felt a woman before and didn't know what to do with this new sensation, so she would have to lead him through the rest and coax him to let the pleasure overtake his body and complete the act.

She and Elizabeth had compared notes, of course, and Lucifer did it too sometimes when he was feeling particularly celestial and the girls thought that perhaps this reaction was the only way their lover's had to convey their amazement at the experience when they were in that state of mind (because their boys could never forget how to make love to a woman considering the things they pulled out of their repertoires and the strangest times).

Azazeal lead her away, out of sight from the others.

* * *

From her vantage point on her towel between Jaenelle and Marian, Elizabeth's eyes twinkled at the sight of Azazeal ushering Cassie way from the group and then had her suntan lotion snatched from her hand by Lucifer. He then proceeded to engage in an R-rated version of how to apply said suntan lotion, leaving her purring and thoroughly protected from a burn. Perhaps he as hoping to receive the same treatment later, although when Elizabeth mumbled, "Now you," he laughed at her and said, "I don't burn."

After planting a kiss on one of her shoulders he added, "I'll be back," and then quickly left them.

It immediately occurred to Lucivar and then Daemon, that Elizabeth was now alone with them, with Azazeal nowhere in sight, and Lucifer hadn't even given them so much as a glance to warn them off of her or ask them to look after her.

"Do you think he's forgotten about us?" Daemon asked.

"No," Lucivar said with certainty, "He's not the neglectful male he was before. In the past, he would never have defended her against us like he did the other day. He would have assumed that she could handle it. He must trust us."

* * *

Lucifer came back several hours later when everyone was in the water and laughing about some funny thing that had happened during their adventures. Cassie and Azazeal had managed to re-join the rest of the group without seeming to have returned from a romantic tryst and for the most part everyone had forgotten their quick exit earlier on.

Lucifer actually appeared tired and he stood at the edge of the water with a similar quiet patience to Azazeal's and waited for Elizabeth to come to him. When she did, he took one of her hands and spoke to her, but they couldn't hear what he said over the noise of the waves, and then she waved to them and they disappeared.

Later that night when everyone was settled at Elizabeth's ranch to enjoy a few days in the country and let Jaenelle and the rest visit with their children a little more, Cassie tried to ask Elizabeth where they had went.

Lucifer had brought Elizabeth back to them on the beach with a proud smile on his face that was even brighter then when they worked on Azazeal's projects together. He would not stop sort of preening and smiling at her like a child proud that they'd sucessfully tied their shoes for the first time.

All Elizabeth would say was that he'd made something for her, but based on the mix of pleasure and embarrassment she saw in her friend, Cassie thought that Lucifer had created something for her. Normally, Elizabeth wouldn't be afraid to have him undo something but this must have struck a cord with her. There must have been something right about it and she could not get herself to make him destroy it even if a mortal shouldn't have it.

Cassie knew from Elizabeth that, while Lucifer had fun with Azazeal on their projects, he sometimes wanted more. And it wasn't that he minded doing any small thing that Elizabeth wanted, in actuality, he was completely comfortable with her little mortal wants and that was the problem. He tired of doing things that weren't specifically for her. He was a personal angel in a way that most of the others were not.

Azazeal, for example, was different. Oh, he would have done anything that Cassie asked, but she just knew that he was meant for more structured endeavors, whereas Lucifer would be content if his greatest accomplishment was holding Elizabeth as she slept (one of his favorite duties) as long as she felt that it was so. But Elizabeth would not decide such things for him. She would give him parameters for his behavior but she did not feel she had the right to decide what fulfilled him. He had to find that for himself. It was a lot to ask of him, but no more than his asking her to control the most powerful being God had created, and so they had developed a way to work together to balance their relationship. But it did leave room for him to do some strange things.

And now there was this big thing he'd done on his own, which was rare but not impossible, but usually he got things wrong. Elizabeth had tried to explain to him for years that she was not a being of infinite possibilities, as Lucifer was and the God who created him was. Her likes and dislikes and her sense of right and wrong were much more defined than he was used to because her understanding of things was simpler. When he remembered this, it was easier for him to act as she would want when she was not around, but when he forgot it…that was when things like him strangling that Queen would happen. He would sometimes slip back into seeing the larger, much larger, picture because he wanted to give her everything he was capable of.

It seemed like he had found something that had stretched his abilities and pleased her at the same time. It was quite an accomplishment for him to combine those two things together without her help and you could tell Elizabeth was proud of him too.


	41. Chapter 41

The next morning, early as was his custom, Lucivar padded quietly around the ranch house checking that everything was in order. Even though he had no idea what should and shouldn't be going on in this place, he did it anyway.

At back of the house there were patio doors that opened on to the stable area and Lucivar stopped and watched as two boys walked into the barn and then came out a few minutes later with a line of horses following them out to the pastures beyond the buildings. Lucivar was no expert with animals but he knew that was not normal. Then he remembered Elizabeth had mentioned last night that she had given the staff the next few weeks off and had left the chores in the capable hands of the two angels that really kept an eye on things unbeknownst to the human employees.

Lucivar moved on and eventually found a secluded side porch on which to do his morning exercises.

* * *

Elizabeth woke slowly, stretching slightly, and then felt Lucifer tighten his arm around her waist. She squirmed playfully but he did not give in.

"It's time to get up," she said.

"No. Stay," he murmured and refused to open his eyes.

"We have guests, my love," she said smiling to herself.

"We have children to see to them, _carina_," he replied with a secret smile of his own because he knew she always blushed when he called her what in this context meant "one who is glorious."

He was in a strong mood today because of what he had accomplished for her yesterday and because she had encouraged his powerful and creative side in their love making last night. He had been the dominant partner, which he was half the time anyway, but this time it was inspired by Elizabeth's wonder and admiration, rather than simple to please her.

"Oh, come on," she said, eager to be on horseback.

"Mmmm," he grumbled.

"Just ask me!" She said.

"Not yet," he said and he nuzzled and kissed at her exposed neck, which did the job of getting her to relaxing against him perfectly.

Elizabeth was defeated and Lucifer was triumphant because they both knew that their day did not start until Lucifer had asked her what he asked every morning: "What would please you most this morning?" He didn't ask so that she would command him to fulfill her wishes but just to hear those things that would make her happy today if he found the time to sneak them in.

* * *

When Daemon and Jaenelle, lead by Malachi and Ella, joined Lucivar and Marian in the kitchen they stood there confused for a moment before Lucivar explained.

"Luke says that here the dinning rooms are often open to the kitchen," he said as the sat at the bar over looking the cooking area, "It's more of a family style arraignment so that the cook doesn't get lonely."

"All I can say is that the cook will get bothered by husbands and children in a set up like this," Marion grumbled quietly.

Jaenelle laughed, "I like it."

"You would," Marion retorted playfully and they both laughed.

"Where are our hosts?" Daemon asked, trying not to sound presumptuous. He had found that both Cassie and Elizabeth shared Jaenelle's love of the informal but sometimes his Court training did not allow him to be as easy-going as the Ladies.

"Still in bed!" Luke interjected from behind the counter with a twinkle in his eyes, "but don't worry, I've got the wife working on breakfast," he said as if she wasn't standing right next to him.

"Oh, do you now?" Sara laughed from her place at the stove, where she was skillfully making a eggs and bacon, "It would work out much better if you didn't tickle my while I'm cooking."

Marian laughed in agreement.

"Just think of it as an added level of difficulty, my dear," he said cheerfully and kissed her too deeply for this early in the morning. She shoved him away and he left her alone for a few moments before being drawing back to her to annoy her further.

"You're worst than your father Luke," Ella admonished him, "Leave her alone or we'll never eat."

"You could help," Malachi suggested and then got ready to duck a smack that never came. Ella just smiled sweetly and went to sit down at the table, but she was successful in getting Luke to stop bothering Sara.

"As the acting host, I order everyone to the table!" Luke announced with a mischievous smile that let everyone know that this was actually a suggestion.

Jaenelle jumped up like a little girl playing a game and dragged Daemon to the table. Daemon couldn't help bristling slightly at the light-heartedness of these young people, but he knew that they we right up Jaenelle's alley. Besides, he had been continuing to work on having bits and pieces of the childhood that Jaenelle had given him glimpses of when he had been her companion when she was young. He would be forever grateful for even the small childish moments they had had together then and the new ones they occasionally had now that they were married (she would never grow up completely), but it was harder for him when others were present.

Daemon reminded himself that they were here to have fun and that none of these new friends had any expectations with regards to Court manners.

Lucivar, fitting in more easily, rose and gave Marian his arm in mock formality and led her in state to the table, depositing her in her chair with a small bow, before sitting himself. This performance earned smiles of appreciation that he was willing to play the game which apparently entailed making fun of everything you could possibly think of.

Sara had finished her cooking and Luke was helping her bring the food to the table when Bryan and his angel came in and sat down together.

"No, no, no, this will never do," he scolded, again with mock seriousness, "I knew I should have had place cards done up. You've got to mix around. You can't sit by your husband or wife. That's just not…"

"Stop bossing everyone around, boy," Azazeal said ominously from the entrance to the dining area with Cassie on his arm, giving his real meaning away with a roll her eyes.

"Ah, well, now that the boss has arrived, I leave you in his capable hands," Luke said quickly and then took his seat, looking a little relieved.

Azazeal smiled at him and shook his head. Then he murmured to Cassie, "He's just like his father."

"I know," she responded.

If left on his own, Luke would mess around like his father, getting his hands into everything, making a mess, but the moment some one he trusted took charge, he yielded. Of course, letting him loose had its advantages because he was highly creative and intelligent, it was just when he occasionally strayed from the norm that Sara redirected him. Azazeal just liked to push all of the children around...it made him feel fatherly and they all knew how much he liked to keep all his ducks in a row.

They were twenty minutes into breakfast before Elizabeth and Lucifer arrived, acting as if there was nothing interesting about the fact that they were so late for breakfast. They probably would have gotten away with it if Elizabeth wasn't smirking at the look of amused resignation on Lucifer's face.

"What are you wearing?" Cassie flat out asked him, "I thought we were going riding this morning."

As evidenced by the breeches, and jeans, and boots all around, including on Elizabeth, Cassie had clearly not misunderstood this morning's plan. However, Lucifer was conspicuously in black Nike shorts with their signature white strips down the side and a black wife-beater tank-top. No shoes.

Elizabeth answered for him, "You're lucky he's wearing anything at all…we compromised."

She and Cassie shared a look. There were times, Azazeal was less prone but still susceptible, when the angels would get stubborn about some strange thing that meant something completely different to them. Clothing was a common issue and generally Elizabeth and Cassie could find a way to indulge these moods but sometimes…not…

Elizabeth had spent the majority of the twenty minutes that they had been late trying to convince Lucifer to dress himself. She didn't know why she tried, she would never win, but she felt that the effort was necessary before she compromised, which meant she ordered him, but picked something that left him more…accessible.

His main arguments were that he didn't need clothing, clothing came between them, and that he was beautiful for her so why wouldn't she want to look on him and be pleased. You just couldn't argue with an angel when they came up with things like that…hence the compromise.

"Alright," Cassie said, knowing the exact kind of conversation Elizabeth had had with Lucifer.

"Besides," Elizabeth said, "Invasor won't throw him, no matter what he's wearing."

Cassie nodded and suppressed a giggle.

* * *

After breakfast was over, Elizabeth led them proudly out to the stable area where, Hayyel and Sofiel, were waiting with everyone's mounts. The horses waited patiently, tacked up but not hitched to a post, in a neat semi-circle around the boy angels, as if they were guides and not horses.

Lucivar rustled his wings a bit in agitation, he'd never been a horse person, not liking a best nearly as big as he was. A few of the horses shied and pranced around a bit but Hayyel calmed them with angelic words and stroked their heads.

Azazeal turned to Lucivar, who looked guilty, "They're used to wings actually. He explained to them at your wings are just like angel wings only they are black, so it should be fine now."

Hayyel nodded to Lucivar and gestured for him to come close. When Lucivar reached him he said, "This is Storm in May. Would you let him look at your wings?"

Lucivar brought one wing around in front of him towards the horse and the animal sniffed at it noisily before snorting, as if in approval, and then proceeding to lazily chew on his bit. Hayyel smiled and nodded again and then Sofiel made the other introductions.

When Elizabeth was on her white Arabian, Echao, and Lucivar was on his black Friesian, Invasor, they headed off for the hills and a leisurely ride around the property.


	42. Chapter 42

Azazeal turned his horse around the trotted neatly back to Lucivar who had slowed his steed to a halting trot and been left behind by the males who had decided to see who had the fastest horse. The women, who were enjoying a much more leisurely pace and the opportunity to talk, were gaining on him slowly but surely.

"You know, you two could go a lot faster if you tucked your wings back tighter."

"I know," Lucivar growled and did just that, "but we get going fast and then I start using them for balance…aah," he let out in frustration as he had released his wings unconsciously once again and then tuck them back more fiercely.

"If it's any consolation, you put us all to shame in the war blade welding," Azazeal said helpfully, but not without amusement.

Lucivar glared at him but did appreciate the acknowledgement of his talents even if it was a lie.

"Come on let's catch up to them!" Azazeal said and took off in the direction that the others had raced off in. Lucivar's horse rocked back and launched himself after Azazeal's without any cues from Lucivar and he swore under his breath about lunatic angels that talked to common animals and the crazy animals that listened to them.

By the time he had caught up to Azazeal they were lurching up a small rise side by side and then they came suddenly on the other men having recently dismounted and released their mounts to graze at will. These faithful horses would most certainly not wander far.

"Who won?" Azazeal asked with a broad smile.

"Luke this time," was Malachi's response. He couldn't help qualifying it but alluding to the fact that he had won this race himself in the past.

"Let them win again did you?" Azazeal said quietly to Lucifer as he took the saddle and bridle off of his gray.

"Always," Lucifer said with a wink. Azazeal and he had decided long ago that they would sometimes have to allow the boys to outperform them. It wouldn't do to defeat them in everything, they were half human after all. They did have their pride and the need to feel worthy in their father's eyes.

Lucifer padded, still barefoot, over to where Malachi had set up court and flopped down next to Daemon, who watched slightly anxiously in the direction that the ladies would be coming.

"Give it a rest," Lucifer said without preamble, "She's better protected with Elizabeth than anywhere in…well..all existance."

Daemon scowled at him but turned his attention to the group and wondered why Lucifer was so sure of that.

"I propose," Malachi started authoritatively, "that we each display our greatness talent."

"We just galloped full out up here Malachi," Luke laughed, "Haven't you had enough competition for one day?"

"Nope, now you first, the ladies will be a while, no doubt talking about us, so let's have some fun."

Luke thought for a moment and then a portion of the sky clouded and dropped a small but powerful tornado on the ground that played around them for a few moments before he dispersed it.

Malachi was unimpressed, he'd seen his friend to this before, but Daemon and Lucivar watched it in amazement as Lucifer and Azazeal exchanged smiles at them being so easily impressed.

"Now you," Malachi announced and looked at Daemon until he turned to meet his gaze, "What are you good at?"

"Oh, he's only good for one thing and it's not appropriate for this audience," Lucifer rumbled and rather than being offended, Daemon found himself laughing and actually proud, because in this crowd being talented in the bedroom encompased a lot.

"Well," Malachi started in again, "Let's hear what a pleasure slave is trained to do then, hum?"

Daemon's eyes went cold and all the humor left him. Azazeal opened his mouth to speak but then stopped himself. He had been protecting Malachi and getting him out of trouble his whole life. It was about time that someone put him in his place. Azazeal had kind of been hoping that Lucifer would do it one day but for whatever reason his fiery friend showed remarkable restraint when it came to smacking his son down when he clearly needed it. He was just glad Cassie wasn't here because one look at her and he would have gone flying to the rescue once again.

Daemon was giving Malachi his most deadly stare but this only motivated the boy further.

"Come on, we're all ears, it can't be that bad," the inexperienced boy said too light-heartedly, "I mean, yes, slavery is bad but sex is good, so it should have generally balanced itself out, right?" Malachi had just the right amount of knowledge and naiveté to believe that, because of the title of pleasure slave, that what had been done to Daemon had been about sex, rather than cruelty, dominance, and humiliation.

Azazeal winced to himself. This was going to be bad. In his quiet moments he often wondered why it was that Malachi had turned out to be so difficult and he had decided that perhaps it was because his son had known from an early age, Azazeal had not hid it from him, what he had originally be destined for. He believed that his son struggled with the fact that he could have been a powerful force of evil in this world and perhaps brought creation to its knees, but all he really wanted to do was be with Ella. Malachi toyed with the bad things in this world to find out about that part of himself and he just hadn't quite figured out what he thought of his negative potential yet.

"I wish someone would keep me for pleasure, come on, what nasty things did they do to you?" Malachi goaded the angry Warlord Prince again, with a playful grin.

"What do you think they did?" Daemon roared, so livid now that he saw only read and was no longer in control of what he said. As he continued, something that he had never told anyone came tumbling out of him, "What do you think they did to a male who wouldn't get hard for them no matter what they did? How do you think they punished a male who tortured them with pleasure and pain in equal amounts? The whip wasn't good enough, oh no, not nearly humiliating enough, when you can impale a man and do to him what he refuses to do to you."

Daemon finished, his eyes flashing fire and his Black power crackling around him dangerously. His vision cleared and he met Lucivar's eyes first. He was sobered a bit by the mix of anger and sympathy that he saw there. Luke, Brian, and Malachi's mouths were all agape in shock, but Azazeal's gaze was even and strangely comforting. Then when he turned to Lucifer he saw his friend's best 'Yeah and?' look.

To his surprise, he burst out laughing again and Lucifer chuckled with him, slapping him on the back.

"You…like it…don't…you?" Daemon said in between fits of laughter, it felt so good to be laughing.

"Oh, I like many, many things," Lucifer said smoothly and gave him a naughty smile. Lucifer then sent him a detailed image of exactly how erotic it could be to be taken by a woman dispite her lack of natural equipment.

Daemon struggled to gain control of himself both his laughter and his thoughts about what Lucifer had shown him, not noticing how grateful the boys were that Lucifer had broken the tension, and he shook his head at the fact that Lucifer always had a way of cleansing him of the horror of what had happened to him when he chose to confront it. He would never be completely free of the shadow that his past life cast over him but along with Jaenelle's loving touch and her re-defining of the role of a dominant female in his life, there was Lucifer telling him that there was nothing, absolutely nothing, to be ashamed of.

Just as the strain was dying down among the males who were beginning to discuss some work Bryan was doing in the area of alternate fuel sources, the ladies rode up casually to the rendezvous spot. Jaenelle, Marian, and the other women smiled thankfully at the pleasantly arraigned table and chairs and blankets, as well as at the plentiful food and drink that was laid out. The boys hadn't really noticed and only now, in response to the ladies' delight, sort of nodded to each other in brief appreciation, but Elizabeth was flabbergasted.

"But I…who…wha…?" She looked to Lucifer to answer her unfinished questions.

"Vo Na Hoath, Ji Hoath," he said holding her gaze. Where I worship, they worship, he had said.

She gave him an 'Oh geez' look and he shrugged. She looked at Cassie who also shrugged but smiled in amusement. She, after all, was used to this, where as Elizabeth was just now finding out how accommodating the angels could be. She must have mentioned something about a picnic on this hill when they rode out, et voila, here it was in style.

Cassie had, from the beginning, found it much easier to understand Azazeal's troupe of angels than Azazeal himself. She had very naturally helped them adapt to our world and accepted their little gifts in return. She had swiftly learned the military like structure of Azazeal's organization and she had known for quite some time that mentioning any true desire in a very certain way in the presence of one of her lover's angels was a sure way to have it travel to the appropriate angel and then be fulfilled. It had taken her much longer to comprehend what made Azazeal tick but such is the way these things sometimes work with the ones we love the most. Of course, now she knew that when he simply informed her of something that it was important and needed her attention and that when she made a wish known, he sometimes delegated it downward.

Elizabeth had always been better at understanding her lover and while she was skilled at helping the angels under her care, she had been so focused on Lucifer that she had overlooked their presence in her life. After they had been married, however, Lucifer had, in true angelic style, informed Elizabeth of the number of angels who now attended upon her, as if she had somehow become entitled to this type of treatment. She had been furious and then ashamed of herself and then she had insisted in meeting them all. She had met them all before, of course, and she was glad of it too because she didn't want to discover anymore angels that Lucifer had kept from her. They were all the angels that had no clear purpose that could be used in the mortal realm except for those who were already her assistants when it came to dealing with angelic issues or who had always been the guardians that Lucifer had insisted on.

It had taken her a few days to get used to the knowledge that she was being constantly watched and followed by a slew of angels. She accepted it because of how pleased Lucifer and her entourage were with the arraignment and because most of them didn't have anything else to do with themselves.

One small issue with this new arraignment, well new to her because the development of her Court had gone on completely without her knowledge, had been that although Lucifer had always been jealous and possessive when it suited his mood, he reserved a special nastiness for those of her followers who got in the way. He was infallibly indulgent when any of the angels were in need but when he determined otherwise, watch out!

Elizabeth and Cassie had gone to Araquel for the answer because he was consistently the most informative. He had thought about it and said, "They had been neglected for so long, they crowd around close sometimes and he makes sure they keep to their circles."

That was the best they could get out of him. The problem soon began to work itself out though as the excitement of her knowing about them settled down.

Lucifer took his self appointed position at the center of Elizabeth's circle very seriously, as the other angels did their respective positions. He had hated having to deal with the demands of distressed angels and had given up that job to Elizabeth with no hesitation, but he seemed to be made to be the center of this type of order and like Azazeal, he sometimes delegated suitable duties to the best angel for the job, being that he was specifically concerned with her happiness and pleasure in a more esoteric sense.

Lucifer waited until Elizabeth had accepted the fact that her angelic groupies had done this for her and that it was no big deal. Then he sauntered over close to her to remind her with his proximity and his reduced amount of clothing just how sexy he was. She spent the rest of the afternoon fighting the urge to touch him or get too aroused by the look of him and knowing that he was doing things on purpose to tantalize her. If she allowed herself to want him too much, he would have an excuse to dispense with the attire because it was his duty, after all, to see to her…physical needs. She wasn't sure who would win this little battle but they would end up naked eventually and she made a careful list of things she wanted to do once they were.


	43. Chapter 43

When the picnic was over, the angelic grooms returned at someone's call to re-tack the horses for the ride home. It was a more leisurely ride home with many groups breaking off to wander the grounds or the house at will for the remainder of the day. After dinner, they call gathered again in the living room.

Lucifer was devilishly intent on flirting with all of the women but was slightly annoyed that none of the males objected…nor did the women shy from his advances. It was much too well known at this point that he would never touch another woman much less let her touch him, so while his witty sexual innuendos served to make the evening merry, no one but Elizabeth was effected.

This, of course, was victory enough for him because he was still playfully tormenting her for her triumph this morning regarding his clothes and he knew a thing or two about revenge. But truly, he loved Elizabeth's jealousy, the part of her that sought to possess him even as she blushed at his devotion. He loved her fiery temper too, the one that lashed out despite her generally patient attitude and had made her strong enough to choose to tame him rather than give up on him. And he had learned to love her reluctance too, because it was that much sweeter when he laid all that he was out before her and she let it go for him, she overcame the fact that she felt she didn't deserve this and she embraced what was hers. He now understood the risk he had taken, though there was a large part of him that said he wouldn't have chosen her if she wasn't worthy, and he had learned from Daemon and Lucivar what Elizabeth could have become if she hadn't been strong enough. She could have used him for her own selfish purposes, she could have become corrupted and evil, she could have been cruel to him and told him that was what it took to please her. She had tried to tell him this but he'd been to involved in their new relationship to comprehend its importance.

"Marian, Maid Marian," Lucifer said, refocusing his attention on the shyest of the ladies and planting himself next to her on the couch, "Tell me you haven't wondered what feathered wings would feel like against yours, hm?"

"Come to bed, dear," Elizabeth said with a smile in her voice, finally having had enough of his antics.

"It's early yet, honey, and it's just so diverting here with our lovely guests," he said smoothly and Lucivar rolled his eyes at Azazeal who laughed silently.

"Nis Hoath, Lucifer," Elizabeth said gently and quite unexpectedly, well, very unexpectedly to Lucifer and to Azazeal. The words didn't really need translation as Lucifer's body noticeable softened and he turned to her with expectant eyes. Azazeal looked at her too because he hadn't heard those words uttered in a very long time and he didn't know what could have prompted her to say them. Come worship, she had said, as easily as she had said come to bed and you didn't just say that kind of thing to an angelic lover casually.

Lucifer rose and half float over to her and then she smiled at everyone and lead him to bed.

By the time they got to the bed room the desire that he had been stoking in her all day had brought back the cocky lover that was going to make her beg for it. He stood there with a smirk on his face and waited for her to undress him like he knew she'd been fanaticizing about all day. She obliged him and was quickly distracted by his beautiful body, using her hands and mouth to explore his chest and wander over the rest of him. He let her carry on for a while before he reached his head down to take her mouth and then began to undress her, as she had clearly forgotten about this little necessity.

"They don't really… you know…worship me do they?" Elizabeth asked after she was relieved of her clothing. She was still concerned about his comment about the other angels worshiping her.

He laughed and continued to kiss her neck for a bit before murmuring, "Not like I do, no."

"Then how…?" Elizabeth started.

"They have their purpose, like the rest, I told you. You brought this corporeal manifestation upon yourself," he replied with a smirk.

He was right, she was really all her fault. He had set her up as the center of their attention based on information that she had provided and then to make herself feel better she had encouraged them to act in this world.

* * *

When she had tried to explain marriage again to Lucifer at Daemon's suggestion, she had gone through all of the old explanations one by one and received the same uncomprehending look and mocking comments from Lucifer as before.

Finally she had said, "It's like you wanting everyone to know you served me, Lucifer, you hated it when I hid your devotion."

"Yes, but they knew even though you did not," he said reasonably.

"Well, the marriage ceremony is just an extension of acknowledgment that you wanted. A chance for friends and family to take some time out of their busy lives to bear witness to the love between us just for a few hours."

And that he had understood. He considered her intentsely for a moment and then said, "Yes, mortals would need that, wouldn't they, interesting."

She rolled her eyes and thus had began the preparations for the event that he had so vehemently opposed for so long. She should have known that his easy acquiesce would bring other things with it.

When he had told her about the angels that now surrounded her always, she had been typically confused but the introductions clarified things. She had known about the angels that rotated between guarding her and her houses. She had also known, of course about her assistant that came and went and kept all things anglic in order. But it was the new group that she didn't understand the need for.

"So I've got my assistants and my guardians," she said, "but what are the others for, exactly?"

Lucifer seemed pleased with this question.

"They were angels of the Presence, they…well, they were there to bear witness to Him, to His love and His power. There were those of us whose primary function was to experience Him or to serve Him, or both, and they…," here he paused and thought for a moment, "they watched in Heaven, like Azazeal and his angels watched here on earth. Someone has to bear witness and you humans can only do it for a short time before you get distracted by you own lives."

"And so now," Elizabeth started slowly, already knowing where this was going, "they bear witness to…"

"Our love," he said proudly. Needless to say, Elizabeth took a few days to digest this. It may have been easier for her if he had told her that he had actually invited them rather than ordering them, but who knows.

Eventually, she called them all to her, which really meant asking them to make themselves visible to her, and she could tell immediately by their expressions that they were happy to be with here, happy to have something indescribable to observe.

"You are all happy?" She asked anyway.

"Yes," was the resounding reply.

"I know you are all, well, you are with me," she said using their own terminology for their fuction, "but I was wondering…if you… would any of you mind if I asked you to go away from me…" When the words came out of her mouth she thought they were horribly wrong but the angels merely looked curiously at her.

"What I mean is, what if I saw a human I thought needed looking after for a day or something that needed to be done, would you mind leaving me to do as I would ask?"

They considered this for a moment.

"Do you mean like the messengers?" One asked.

"Or like the guardians?" Another asked.

"Or like the watchers?" Yet another chipped in.

"Yes, yes," she said excitedly, "Like that, for a specific purpose and then you return to me."

Again they thought to themselves.

"Yes, we could do that, this is a new place with new rules, we can do this for you."

Elizabeth never imaged that they would take such initiative in doing things for her but they had been building up their confidence on little jobs for her for a while now and as long as a few of them remained to watch her, they did not object to jaunts away from her.

* * *

Elizabeth shuddered and was pulled back from this reverie into the arms of a lover determined to give her the benefit of all of his bedroom skills. Then suddenly they were on the soft grass at the edge of a cliff over looking the sea and it was sunrise. She no longer bothered to ask where or when they were when he did this because she enjoyed making love to him outside so much she thought it would be silly to question it. He pulled her down to the strangely warm ground with him and he continued his attentions diligently. When he finally slid into her, she gave a throaty moan and then he whispered to her softly, "Say it again," as he rocked his body against hers.

She opened her eyes to his adoring ones and uttered the words that she knew he wanted to hear. Nis Hoath, she said followed by a loving mental pronunciation of his secret name. The words washed over his mind with luxurious sweetness. She'd never asked him for this before, for many, many other things but never directly for that which he was best at, for that which encompassed everthing else he offered.

* * *

The next morning Lucifer followed Elizabeth around beaming like Araquel at his most innocently devoted, which on Lucifer was more impressive because he was not as simple as Araquel, but a supremely intelligent being that offered it all to his lover.

Elizabeth let Cassie and the others believe that Lucifer was just being his silly self but the truth was that he had not qualified his worship last night. Everything had been all praise, all glory, etc. and she felt strangely fine with that because his joy had been unmistakable. It wasn't until a few days later that Lucifer informed her that he had felt the full divine presence inside her and he had responded accordingly. She had nodded and was not capable of anything less mysterious, leaving him to wonder how much of the experience she had understood.

She had hoped that it had just been the exhibitionist in Lucifer, the part of him that adored showing everyone how much he loved Elizabeth, that had gotten off on having all of those angels watching them, but since they had been there for months now, she knew that was foolish.

She had done it, she had said those words as if she deserved it and she didn't know what gave her the right or even the idea to do that.


	44. Chapter 44

"Will you tell us the story of how all this was created?" Jaenelle asked Azazeal one evening after taking whirl tour of the wonders of this world that they hadn't yet seen by a very adventurous Elizabeth and Lucifer. Those two were a special kind of mischievous at this point in time.

Azazeal looked down at Cassie with a smile and a raised eyebrow. She looked back at him similarly.

"Oh come on Dad!" Malachi urged. He'd wanted to hear this story all his life.

"I don't think it's a good idea," Cassie responded.

"Just because he doesn't want to spoil any of your precious notions and you're not willing to force him…"

"Malachi!" Azazeal thundered and his son fell silent. There was a noiseless battle of wills as they stared each other down but as usual there was no resolution.

"Lady Jaenelle, why don't you tell us more about your world and the Blood Protocol I've heard you mention in the past?" Malachi suggested and even though Cassie and Azazeal had heard it all before, their children hadn't and if it kept the peace to hear it again, that was fine.

Jaenelle went through an impressive summary of Blood Protocol and the reasons behind it. When she got to Virgin Night and the need for a trusted male to guide valuable Queens through it, Malachi piped up again.

"So, would you ever order Daemon here to perform said duties, if the need arose?"

Jaenelle blushed slightly but Azazeal knew that his son's seemingly innocent question had been meant to stir up whatever emotions it could.

"I imagine she'd ask me," Lucifer interjected quite seriously.

"No never you, Lucivar," Jaenelle responded, "You've given enough already…"

But just as Daemon was about to put his two cents in and add to the tide of emotion that Malachi had set in motion, he turned his attention to his parents.

"What about you Dad? If Mom asked you to screw someone for the good of mankind would you do it?"

Cassie narrowed her eyes furiously at her son.

"Your father's not a parlor trick, Malachi!"

She then turned her attention back to Azazeal who had the uncomfortable look of a man who knows that no matter how he answers this question, he's going to get into trouble.

"Would you?" She asked now interested because of his discomfort.

"I…" was all he said and he didn't need to finish.

"You would, wouldn't you and you'd enjoy it too!" Cassie was livid at the thought of him even agreeing to such a thing and then realizing that he wouldn't detest it with every fiber of his being…was just not acceptable.

"And you Dad?" Luke started in, now riding the wave of Malachi's impishness. "Would you do it?"

"I would never ask him," Elizabeth interjected.

"Yes, but what if you had to? What would you expect him to do?" Malachi asked.

"I would expect," Elizabeth started in a confident and sexy voice that reminded Malachi of the brief period that he had wanted Elizabeth because he had been told he couldn't handle her, "absolute obedience, my boy, so he damn well better do what I ask."

Malachi was a bit rattled but smiled at this, having apparently going the rise out of everyone that he had wanted.

Elizabeth didn't look at Lucifer for even a hint at his opinion on the matter and then continued, "But he trusts me never to ask that kind of thing of him, never to require of him what goes against his nature. That's love, child, maybe you'll figure it out one day!"

At this Malachi rose and stormed off and Ella followed with an apologetic look on her face. They loved each other but still had their issues to work out. Azazeal watched his son go and then turned to see Lucifer looking at Luke with a mixture of love and regret.

Azazeal knew that they had both made their share of mistakes with their first sons but he wished it wasn't their love for their mothers that cause the biggest problems. Lucifer wished, just as he did, that there was a way to go back and maybe handle things differently, but ultimately they both knew that it was pointless because they were what they were, angels, and even their children had to deal with that.

Luke and Malachi had always understood things, maybe too well, and now they were trying on jealousy to see if it fit, because they were tired of understanding. They were tired of the times when they had to go to their mothers because their fathers wouldn't give them what they wanted and they were tired of knowing that it was because sometimes their fathers were incapable of acting without permission. They were tired of the times when the light in fathers eyes belonged only to their lovers and of knowing that there was nothing a son could do, now matter how impressive, to change that.

It only made it worse that sometimes their fathers looked at them as proudly as any mortal father might because there were other times that their fathers regarded them more as some wondrous thing that their mothers had created. And it only made it worse that they knew and understood why.

When he was little, Luke had even snuck into his parent's room a few times, though his father always knew that he was there, and watched them together. He had seen the joy, the ecstasy, and the love in his father's face when he worshiped his mother. Lucifer had never held back even when he knew his son was watching, but now the beauty of knowing how much his parents loved each other no longer comfort him.

Then suddenly, Luke's jealously eased, he had never been one to hold a grudge, and Sara grabbed his hand tightly. She knew what he was going through right now and she was determined to help him through it, especially because her own brother was the insigator.

* * *

Unfortunately, waiting for Azazeal later that evening was a very unhappy Cassie.

"I can't believe you would still enjoy the hunt, still enjoy the conquest, after all this time, after all we've been thorough. You would go right back to that!"

"I'm sorry," Azazeal said obviously in distress, "I…Should I refuse you?"

The pain and confusion in this question was lost on Cassie in large part due to the fact that she was unused to such emotion from him. Cassie just huffed and paced around in irritation.

"Please!" he said and fell to his knees. This got her to stop and consider him carefully.

In this moment, the desperate thought that Lucifer was right popped in to his head, that these women could reflect the kind of love and acceptace that would allow Cassie to understand this as something that he could do out of love not lust. By the way that Elizabeth had handled Lucifer trailing after her in blissful submission for the past few days before the wildness took them both over and by the way she had handled the situation today, Azazeal believed that she had finally found it in her to accept everything he offered and she understood that she didn't need to deserve it, need it, or even know what to do with it. She only needed to let him put it in her hands. He hoped Cassie would find the same thing.

"What I am, what I am capable of, is yours," he said earnestly. "I don't know how to hate the gifts that are yours to command. I…"

But she stopped him by rushing over to him, kneeling in front of him, and throwing her arms around him.

"I'm sorry," she said.

* * *

"There are things I would refuse you," Lucifer said matter-of-factly to Elizabeth when they were alone.

"Oh, yeah, like what?" She asked, not really taking him seriously.

"I have done it before and I would do it again, but…"

"What are you talking about?"

"I cannot bring back people from the dead, it is beyond my power," he said apologetically.

"You would refuse me things you're not capable of?" She asked and he nodded.

"What do I care about that?" She laughed relieved.

"And I would not bow to another," he said meaningfully.

She gave him a comforting smile. She understood now that he was trying to avoid the misunderstanding that had happened before between him and God. When he got worried, he tended to forget that there where things she would never dream of asking him to do.

"I would never ask you," she said, though interestingly he was doing exactly what God had asked him to do all those centuries ago.


	45. Chapter 45

Elizabeth knocked on the door to her son's old room and Sara answered with a knowing smile. Sara opened the door wider and slipped past to leave her alone with her son.

Luke was sitting cross legged on the bed and tried to cultivate a stone faced looked but failed. Elizabeth sat on the corner of the bed and smiled at him for a moment.

"He loves you, you know."

"Yes, yes," Luke said with forced exasperation but then more honestly, "I know."

Elizabeth sighed.

"Do you remember when you got horribly sick that one time and your father discovered that the common cold was one of the few things an angel cannot cure?"

Luke smiled to himself.

"He fluttered about like a worried hen and watched me suspiciously whenever I brought you something."

Luke laughed quietly at the memory.

"He stayed with you night and day for five days, even though you were much better after three."

Luke nodded, "When he thought I was asleep, he crawled into bed with me."

"I didn't know that but that's him," Elizabeth said and smiled encouragingly.

"But then you caught my cold, Mom, and he wouldn't let anyone near you. You kept saying you were alright with him but no one trusted his judgment. Cassie yelled and Azazeal threatened but anyone who put a toe across the threshold of your room…geez you should have seen they icy glare they got."

Elizabeth didn't respond right away, worried that her attempt at making him feel better was now only going to make it worse. But she believed that because his angelic side had been so understanding for so long, it was her son's human side that just wanted to know that his daddy loved him.

"And then you cried," she said finally, "Our little boy cried and…"

"Yeah, he snatched me up so hard my head was still spinning when he plopped me down next to you."

Elizabeth laughed, "He was emotional, he forgets his own strength when he's emotional."

"We held up for three days in that room like we were fugitives, making quick and wary dashes to the kitchen while keeping an eye out for the cops," Luke said making fun of his father's caution and determination to keep Cassie and Azazeal out of Elizabeth's room.

"Oh, you had fun. It was another adventure for you and I remember hearing the giggle of a not so stealthy little thief in my house. And he did just fine, right? He had watched me with you. He knew what I needed and he knew that it included you."

Luke felt his cheeks get hot and nodded in hopes that it would go away.

He thought of one of those nights. The one that he had woken up snuggled against his father's back with something soft tickling his nose. He'd pulled back and then gotten up to walk around to his mother's side of the bed to confirm what he thought he saw. Sure enough, they were both sound asleep and his father had her tucked gently under one of his gold flecked wings. He had flown with his father many times but never actually by the use of wings and he'd never gotten a good look at them. He had reached out a hand to touch one but then stopped, knowing instinctively that they were not for him. After a few minutes he when back to his side and burrowed back into the still warm spot next to his father. The next morning the wings were gone.

Luke tried one more time to be jealous of this but he knew that there was no point. It was only the human in him that was trying to refuse to just be happy with what he had, but the angel in him knew that with his family and Sara he had everything that he needed.

"Thank you, Mom," he said simply.

Just then Lucifer burst in and gave them both a winning smile that Luke couldn't help returning. Yes, he father loved him, but what he felt for his mother couldn't compare and, like his own love for Sara, was indescribable.

"Son, I have just informed your wife that I'm stealing you tomorrow!"

Sara popped out from behind him with a wry smile and Luke couldn't help his excitement. He just realized, the way you realize things obvious to an adult that as a child meant little to you, that when they were alone together his father was his. There were things they had done and things his father had told him that his mother didn't know. Sure, Lucifer would spill the beans if she asked but there were private things that only father and son shared. It was just that his father could only deal with one loved one at a time.

"Oh alright!" Luke said with exaggerated reluctance.

"Excellent! Now, woman, I have an exceedingly important question for you!"

Elizabeth shot her son a conspiratorial look and answered, "Hm?" walking over to him slowly as Sara slipped past them and over to Luke.

"Mmm," he rumbled and purred at her, "Tonight will I be trembling for my goddess or will you serenade me with that lovely moan of yours until I decide I've tortured you enough?"

Luke looked at Sara and shook his head. He was used to this, his father never hide anything, but he alone knew what they were like in their private moments together. He'd seen his father tremble submissively at the touch of his mother's finger and he'd seen his mother's eyes bright with a desire that only a devilish tease could produce. Although he had never been brave enough to peek in on one of their more violent sexual encounters, he understood that sometimes his father didn't want to fall gently into the arms of surrender as he generally did at Elizabeth's slightest urging. He wanted to be thrown to his knees and given no other choice. He wanted to be taken to a place where all of his power meant nothing in the presence of her glorious strength.

Luke could not imagine his mother being capable of that kind of controlled fury but he knew that his father occasionally acting intimated by her was not just a show. Fury wasn't exactly the right term though just as it was not exactly anger that she communicated to him. The bible talks about fearing God and the angels feared him too, but it didn't mean being scared of Him or dreading His punishment. It was more like recognizing a power greater than yourself, celebrating the awesomeness of it, and relishing your weakness in the face of it. Just as Lucifer could have calmly spent days in a tortured state of unfilled sexual desire for her and equated it with one of the spheres of the divine presence in heaven, he could take the shocking sensation of a whip and the feel of her demanding that he please that dark place inside of her and translate it into the experience of God's absolute power. Angels were good at experiencing those things and his father was the best.

He knew this not just because he knew his parents so well but also because Sara had her own ways of taking him to similar places. He knew what it was like to turn to his lover eager to put himself entirely in her hands even when she'd already taken everything he had to give, like resting himself in her open palms after having just been released by clenched fists.

"Go on you two!" Luke protested with mock disgust.

Both he and Sara knew that despite the choices Lucifer had laid out for Elizabeth whatever she was in the mood for was exactly what would happen, even if she didn't know what that was yet herself.

* * *

"Malachi."

"Don't Mother!" he replied.

"Malachi," Cassie said again, grabbing his face to look him in the eyes and then throwing her arms around him.

"You are your own person and…"

"Oh stop that crap, Mother!"

Cassie pushed him away and gave him the steely stare she'd learned from his Father.

"Don't let your alleged destiny mess with your head any more, it's enough!"

He glared at her but she ignored him. She knew that he felt like he had peeked too soon when he had helped all of the angels when he was so young. Now he felt overshadowed by Sara, Luke, Brian, and even his father and Lucifer in their good work on this earth. He compared himself to them when he should have just contributed.

"You under estimate your worth and you toy with evil because you think it maybe where your talents lie, but you're wrong."

Malachi continued to glare but the fire was fading.

"Don't make the mistakes that your Father did! Let us love you for what you are, hm," she smiled kindly at him and he smiled back despite himself.

"Yes, mother!" he said quietly and then pulled her towards him for a tight hug.


	46. Chapter 46

Luke's favorite thing to do with his father was exploring the planet they lived on and hearing his father tell him how it was all made. He didn't always understand the explanations but just hearing the words was enough for him because it was something they shared only between them. His mother and brother had different fasciations.

Luke chose Great Basin National Park to investigate today. It was a smaller park but it had caves that he wanted to see. As a little test he asked Lucifer if they could just go on the regular tour and while his father looked at him strangely, he agreed.

"I will have to ask you not to touch the walls of the cave because human cells and oils will damage the cave. Now does any one know what these limestone formations are called?" the park ranger leading them on the tour asked in a voice that was meant for the younger people in the group but he included the youthful looking Luke in his questioning gaze. Luke smiled to himself as some teenager answered that they were stalagmites and stalactites.

"When did this all form?" he whispered to his father who was inspecting the formations as a scientist might.

"Mmm," he said just loud enough for those few closest to him to hear, "I don't know when you call it in your terms." Lucifer was refering to the periods and eras we use to describe timeframes so long ago that we cannot pinpoint even the exact year something happened in.

"Okaaaay, when do you call it?" Luke responded more quietly hoping his father would take the hint.

"606 million years, 3 months and 25 days ago."

"Approximately?" Luke asked with a twinkle in his eyes and received a self-important scowl from his father. Of course, he knew exactly when the first nub of the first formation started to grow.

"How did these round formations form?" one of the other visitors asked Lucifer assuming that he was a geology professor or something and was just teasing his son.

Well," Lucifer started and then proceeded to take over as the tour director and managed, with some thoughtful effort, to give just the right amount of information while still blowing everyone's socks off. Luke loved it.

When they left and they were alone Luke asked him, "Have we really damaged the cave?"

"Yes," was the matter of fact reply.

"And could you fix it?"

Lucifer shrugged, "Yes," not catching the request in his son's words.

"Would you?" Luke in a low voice.

Lucifer regarded his son quietly for a moment and then said, "For you I will," and then waived a hand casually towards the direction of the caves they had just visited.

* * *

When Lucifer and Luke returned in the early afternoon, Elizabeth was happy for the break in tension that their arrival provided. Daemon and Lucivar were on edge and were acting strangely towards herself and Cassie.

Luke's amusing description of how his father and taken over the cave tour made her smile broadly. She smiled even more brightly when Luke tol her that his father had healed the cave from the human interaction with it. Then Luke left them, knowing all to well what his mother being pleased with his father would lead to without even having to look at the expression on his father's face.

No sooner had he left than Azazeal barged in and walked right up to them. Elizabeth acknowledged him with a quick smile but Lucifer did not.

Azazeal allowed himself to be annoyed with the take-me-I'm-yours look on Lucifer's face as his friend gazed at his lover. And it was very irritating because it made Azazeal want to give himself too, to go to Cassie and offer himself, and he didn't appreciate that urge coming upon him when he wasn't ready for it no matter how natural it was becoming again for everyone to follow Lucifer's lead.

"Keep it in your pants, loverboy," Azazeal spat with surprising bitterness.

After a second, Lucifer turned to him and in nasty tone said, "Oh, no, you have it all wrong. I'm the witty one. You're the whore."

Azazeal's eyes narrowed in real rage. Lucifer had been the one who had sent him here to impregnate a human woman to bring about the end of days. Azazeal had done what he had done, seducing woman after woman, for Lucifer and all of the fallen angels, and now what he had left to offer Cassie was soiled. She knew it and despised the part of him that was capable of such things. She had shown her displeasure the other day and while she had forgiven him, it did not change the fact that he had nothing pure to give to her.

He felt jealous and angry that Lucifer had found his way to his place with Elizabeth first and dragged him kicking and screaming along the way. He was sure Cassie resented that too. And now that he had given so much, it was just as he had feared. He was still a whore, no matter how lovingly he gave himself to Cassie, and she would never let him take his rightful place with her. Not that Cassie knew how much her little fit had hurt him. She had thought she had handled it when she had apologized but everything with Azazeal was subtly complicated. His place was not kneeling at his lover's feet like Lucifer, but standing proudly at her side with her leaning on him with deliberate trust. That was a more difficult place to get to and Azazeal had never had the patience that Lucifer and others exhibited when it came to teaching their lovers about angelic needs.

He wished now with human envy and twisted angelic cunning that there was some way he could infect Elizabeth with disgust over Lucifer's prior evil state, but he knew all too well that Elizabeth had accepted that long ago. Azazeal would suffer alone but though he may never be worthy at least Cassie kept him and let him serve.

Azazeal made a concerted effort to calm himself. Lucifer really knew how to push his buttons but he generally refrained from doing so. Azazeal knew better than to interrupt Lucifer when he was that focused on Elizabeth but they had bigger problems to deal with right now.

"Daemon and Lucivar are being….well….very male today," Elizabeth said, hoping to ease the tension a bit and explain Azazeal's shortness. It wasn't like Azazeal to snap at Lucifer and it wasn't like Lucifer to deliver such a low blow to Azazeal.

Lucifer's eyes half closed and he seemed to take in the atmosphere in the house. Then he growled in a low rumble and they were all rushing after him through the hallways to the drawing room where Daemon and Lucivar were being silly.

"I TOLD YOU TO KEEP AWAY," Lucivar roared at Azazeal and therefore Lucifer as well. He was pacing territorially in front of Marian and Cassie who were seated next to each other on a couch. Cassie had gotten herself in this predicament about a hour before Lucifer's return and Azazeal had spent that hour prowling the edges of the room and trying to extract his lover from this warrior's grasp without starting a mini-war. Elizabeth had learned from Cassie's mistake and had been trying to negotiate her release but nothing she said got through to the Warlord Princes who instead tried to coax her over to sit with the other ladies.

Jaenelle snarled at Lucivar, jerked out of Daemon's grasp and started muttering curses to herself before saying, "It's my moontime and Marian's will start tomorrow and that's apparently too much for our faithful caretakers to handle with the appropriate decorum."

She said faithful caretakers as if it were a curse, but Daemon, undaunted, purred nastily, "Well, if you women wouldn't synchronize your most vulnerable time, we wouldn't have to be so protective, but having every female here…."

As Daemon spoke, Lucivar, not able to stand it any more, stormed over to Elizabeth and made as if her snatch her away from Lucifer. Janelle had failed to mention that Elizabeth and Cassie were also in a stage of their moontime but she was far too irritated to be accurate.

Lucifer moved quickly in front of him and Lucivar let out frustrated growl, "If you don't take care of her, I will," but as he went to move around Lucifer, he found himself shoved roughly to the ground.

When he leap up, Lucifer rumbled, "Na Ar Otahila," Lucifer said, I defend the throne.

His eyes flashed fire and the air crackled with power. Brilliant patches of light then appeared in formation behind Lucifer and thrummed with menace. Azazeal smiled wickedly to himself. If things escalated, other angels would come and would make themselves known. He would really love a good fight right about now.

Lucivar and Daemon gave Azazeal a questioning look which was returned by a my-big-brother's-going-to-beat-you-up smirk from Azazeal.

"I think now might be the appropriate time to let you know that while I'm the leader on the mortal plane, Lucifer is the true spiritual leader, and he has apparently remembered that little fact."

It was true, of course. Lucifer did genuinely hate directing the angels after the fall and in our world but that was because he had spend the majority of his time essentially with his back to them as he contemplated and worshiped God. When he was ordered to act, the appropriate angelic legions had followed him and worked with him, but never under the kind of command that Azazeal represented. It was just the way the angelic host worked. When he had fallen, they were suddenly all in front of him, looking to him, getting under his feet and in his way. He still snapped at them sometimes but they understood, as they always had, where his anger came from.

He was not a leader in the same way Azazeal was. His primary duty as it related to them was to filter the light of the divine so that it touched them only as much has they could accept. He let the light engulf him and he gave himself to it completely. And he gave himself so completely so that they didn't have to, so that they could function in ways that he could not.

Here, where everything was not as it should be, they still respected him for this duty because the more he had given himself to Elizabeth and the more calm and lovey-dovey he was with her, the more relaxed they became and the more easily they could function on this plane of existance. They were all still very interconnected though Azazeal was not above resenting Lucifer for being involved in his angelic relationship with Cassie and his growing friendship with other lower angels.

Azazeal resented that after Lucivar's admonishments and Elizabeth's fall from the mountain top, Lucifer had gone to mere guardian angels to have it explained to him despite his insistence that he was a servant and should not overstep his position; a mortal woman couldn't help but expect a certain level of protection and concern for her well being. Azazeal could have told him that, anyone could have told him that, but Lucifer usually needed to hear things in a certain way for them to make sense to him.

"So," Azazeal said full of wounded anger, "are we going to play?"

Cassie was the only one who realized suddenly that her normally crafty Azazeal was looking for a fight and not entirely out of frustration that the Warlord Princes wouldn't let him near her.


	47. Chapter 47

"You have no right to defend her," Lucivar growled at Azazeal.

Lucivar did not typically have an issue with how Azazeal looked after Cassie but this morning, he had let her out on her own to ride with Elizabeth in her condition. When Cassie and Elizabeth had come back in the afternoon, both Daemon and Lucivar's senses were heightened in response to Janelle's progressing moontime. It was unfortunate but not surprising that with Marian, Cassie and Elizabeth all in various phases of their own moontime, that the boys could no longer maintain even the merest vestiges of civilized behavior.

Daemon and Lucivar had been irresistibly drawn to the scents of vulnerable females and had attempted to round them up like sheep and then pet and coddle them like kittens. It was a Warlord Princes' delight to have four cranky witches to fuss over, especially when Cassie and Elizabeth didn't know the rules, but they too soon grew tired of this confusing over-thoughtfulness and when Elizabeth escaped (naughty witch) and tried to extricate Cassie, that's when Azazeal was alerted and the fun had begun.

"I am her…," Azazeal started to retort and then looked at Cassie in uncertainty.

"We know how to look after a female, which is more than I can say for…." Lucivar started and then was cut off.

"De Geig," Lucifer said with surprising forcefulness, his eyes taking in both Lucivar and Daemon with contempt.

Lucifer then launched into a speech in angelic that, despite confusing their guests, caused them all to stop and listen. Even Azazeal turned his attention towards Lucifer with uncharacteristic attentiveness.

"What is he saying?" Jaenelle said and everyone naturally assumed that Azazeal would translate but he was rapt. Cassie could feel Azazeal's agreement with what Lucifer was saying, at least initially, and then his attitude changed to one of a sort of indebted concern.

Cassie then began to translate as best she could for herself as well as for everyone in the room.

"You are unsuitable," he had started, "You have never looked at her with love. You have never let her love set your soul ablaze. You have never yearned to use yourself in her service. You have never whispered to her of your devotion. You have never taken away her pain or given her pleasure. You have never worshiped her body with your own. And you have never given yourself over to her wrath. You have never felt its bite and welcomed it with submission. You have never trembled in the awe it deserves and known what it is to sacrifice everything to it. You are not worthy to serve."

Unfortunately, this speech had more of an effect on the Ladies than it did the Warlord Princes. Lucifer was much more powerful then they were but in their state of mind, he was an upstart Warlord Prince using power to mask his ineptness at protecting his female. It didn't help that Azazeal had used the moment of distraction to collect Cassie into his arms, thereby undermining their protection.

"We will see who is worthy," Daemon purred and started the internal descent into the Black.

"NO!" Jaenelle shouted but it was too late to stop him. Everyone tensed and prepared for disaster in the few seconds they had before Daemon unleashed. Azazeal wrapped himself around Cassie as tightly as he could. Lucivar went to Marian and shielded them both while Jaenelle moved close and enclosed them all in her Blackest power.

Elizabeth grabbed on to Lucifer's right arm and buried her face in his shoulder. Lucifer however made no move and regarded Daemon with a kind of serene menace.

When Daemon came rushing up from the depths of the abyss, there was a wild intensity in his eyes and a kind of joy at the feeling of all his power condensed into one devastating blast. For a split second he could sense everyone in the room with frightening clarity and hurried to focus his attack on his enemies. Then everything went dark. The release of all of that Black power took its toll on his body before he had a chance to appreciate the beauty of his killing field.

* * *

Elizabeth felt it like a hum that vibrates into the very core of your being. She shut her eyes and then opened them a second later to find everyone, except Daemon, exactly where they were before.

She looked up at Lucifer, who, sensing her confusion, said, "I dampened the effect…significantly. He has exhausted himself."

Jaenelle went and knelt beside Daemon putting his head in her lap and looking down at him with concern. He's eyes soon fluttered open and then he gave her a toothy grin. Seeing that he was fine, Jaenelle then proceeded to scold him.

"I hope you're proud of yourself. A silly male, that's what you are, and YOU," she whirled around and Lucivar who was creeping up to check on this brother and then took three steps back when she pointed her finger at him, "You're the instigator. Brothers," she said disparagingly, "brothers are always trouble…"

"But the females in the Coven…" the brave if foolish Daemon started reasonably, hoping to explain to his grumpy wife and Queen that they were only doing their job.

Jaenelle leapt up and Daemon's head crashed unceremoniously on the ground, "Ow!," he murmured quietly not particularly interested in regaining her attention again as it would only promote more scolding.

"Cassie and Elizabeth are not in the Coven!" Jaenelle announced and then gently, "They are both my dear friends, but they have their own males, who are more than capable of fussing over them sufficiently."

Lucivar looked about to add his two cents but Jaenelle glared him in to silence.

"Besides, I'm feeling a bit tired, I think. I would like to lie down," she said with a meaningful look at Marian.

"A warm brew would be nice," Marian grumbled convincingly, "and maybe a nice bath."

Daemon and Lucifer jumped into action with what would have been comedic eagerness if it weren't for the fact that this was so natural to them. They quickly ushered their Ladies out of the room and Jaenelle gave a quick wink to Cassie as they left to be pampered by Warlord Princes now more interested in fussing than in fighting.

* * *

When they had left, Elizabeth turned to Lucifer and smiled at him meekly as a woman grateful for her man's protection. She was not normally a weak woman but she was not a warrior either. She had the natural inclination to talk out a problem and let the men get physical. And when they did get physical, as was often the case with the feisty Blood around, she appreciated that facet of the male in her own way.

Elizabeth would have laughed at herself, but she, almost warily, moved in close to Lucifer's body and tilting her head down regarded him through her thick eyelashes. He put his left hand at her waist but his uncertainty about what else to do came off as male nonchalance about his victory and the reward that she was offering. She playfully fingered the gold bracelet on the right wrist and he tensed, inhaling a shaky breath through his teeth. But that was not what she wanted, not right now, not the servant, but the warrior, so the feeling that had threatened to over take him flitted away. He lowered his had and gave her a forceful and ravishing kiss before turning them both towards Cassie and Azazeal.

Azazeal was looking at Cassie strangely, as if he was both in love and terrified of her at the same time. She knew something was bothering him by the way he had instigated the fight and by the way that he had failed to use silver tongue. But before she coaxed the truth out of him, she had a question for Lucifer.

"That's part of it isn't it?" Cassie asked Lucifer. She didn't need to elaborate about how curious she was about Lucifer's penchant for the occasional violent sexual encounter. "You knew God's wrath too."

"I knew Him," was Lucifer's reply.

"You never told me you knew that part of Him," Azazeal said, "That explains why you were never afraid of calling down His wrath. You were the only one who did not fear His punishment."

"I was afraid," Lucifer replied, "I was terrified. It is one thing to simply know His fury for what it is and quite another to call His genuine anger down upon yourself. But it is not in my nature to turn away from Him. I tried to force His hand to punish me so that I could be forgiven. I didn't realize that my abandonment was the punishment…or at least the consequence for my choice."

"And with me?" Elizabeth asked.

Lucifer smiled wickedly down at her. "You, my dear, have an admirable temper. It scares me stiff," he winked at her and she blushed.

"And," he continued more seriously, "I must know it if I am to know you."

Elizabeth blushed more deeply. It was hard for her to think of some of the things she had done to him without the benefit of the red fog of anger or the haze of sexual desire, especially now that he was not gallivanting around wrecking havoc in the world as when they had first met. But he had continued to encourage her to…express herself even after he had satisfied himself that she would correct him rather than banish him. He had always approached their sometimes brutal encounters with a kind of openness and intimacy that went beyond what humans could share with each other. He wanted to experience her in all of her manifestations and he was capable of facing her at her worst with love and acceptance.

"Come help me with the horses," Elizabeth said and she took his hand.

When they had left, Cassie turned back to Azazeal and inspected him carefully. He had that look that he got when any wrong move on her part would mean an emotional disaster. She put her hands to his face and said, "Tell me what is wrong."


	48. Chapter 48

* * *

Cassie kissed Azazeal and then led him to their room. She knew that intimacy was the convenient fix for all of the angels. Something about the bodies close together, the heat, the emotion, the intense sensations, it calmed them and seemed to answer questions for them that could not be expressed in words.

As soon as she closed the door, he pressed against her and took her mouth in a gentle kiss. She obligingly returned it and began working at his clothing. He was more hesitant than normal, not leading the way as he usually did. He let her do what she liked and simply responded.

When she pulled him down on the bed and pressed the full length of her naked body against him, he gave his attention to his favorite place on her body, her neck, and then in a slow urgent whisper said, "Dazisah Na. Ela De O Agi Eka, De Vpaai. Na Adna. Dazisah Na." He had told her: Command me. Only you and no other, yours alone. I will obey. Command me.

"You are already mine," she said with an indulgent smile.

All the tension went out of Azazeal's body and Cassie was pleased with this response, but then she realized that he had slumped in defeat rather than relaxed at her assurance.

"I am your whore then," he said flatly his mouth hovering above her neck.

"No, no, no, no," Cassie responded grabbing his head and making him look at her.

"Lucifer named me for what I am," he told her.

"You are not a whore! Why would he call you that?"

Azazeal looked away from her and said, "I would do anything for you."

"Yeah, and so would Lucifer for Elizabeth. How is he not a whore then?" Cassie was getting very irritated with Lucifer right about now and it was showing in her tone of voice.

"It's a different kind of anything," he said and only amongst the angels did this kind of statement make perfect sense.

Cassie knew they were very different angels and that Azazeal accomplished things differently than Lucifer. When Daemon was getting ready to kill them all, Azazeal had used his body to shield her, while Lucifer…well…Lord only knows what he had done to dissipate all that power. Azazeal was more tactile and physical in how he interacted with the world. Lucifer would not naturally think to use his body to accomplish something whereas for Azazeal it maybe the only way he could. And besides sex and worship were too intertwined for Lucifer.

"I whored for him and I would whore for you, it's what I am," he said in a low voice.

It slowly dawned on her that he was talking about the fun Malachi had in suggesting that Azazeal would have sex with another woman…and her unfortunate reaction to the fact that he would be willing. Of course, he would be willing! Not because he wanted to but because she might want it. And she had noticed lately, that while he might deal arrogantly with other people, he had no pride and no ego when it came to her. Anything was anything, including using his body to get her what she wanted, even if she hated him for it later.

Azazeal had just asked her to take that possibility away with a simple command and she had refused. Damn it! She hadn't meant to. Now he thought that she left open the option to ask him to use his body for her because he was not worthy of being hers exclusively in that way. It was a strange thought that while he would never in an eternity cheat on her, the question of whether he would make love to another woman was not decided by that fact. She decided it and the fact that she hadn't taken it upon herself to forbid it or to accept it as just one of the many open offers that his angelic nature presented her with…was causing him emotional pain.

* * *

Lucifer let Elizabeth lead him to the stables and then he diverted her to one of the rooms with loose hay, tossing her gently onto one of the mounds. She laughed and held out her arms for him to join her. He obeyed, stretching himself out beside her. He grabbed one of her wrists and pulled her in for a rough and demanding kiss.

"Why do you provoke me?" she asked with a giggle.

Despite her easy sounding tone, he knew she was again seeking his reassurance. He understood, though he didn't enjoy it. He knew their relationship was not normal, it couldn't be, and what he asked of her naturally grated against her sense of what was right, but he needed to experience her every feeling, every mood, every desire. Humans were expected to control their impulses in order to function in society but he needed to know it all, her warm love as well has her scalding rage. She wouldn't be human or as wonderful as she was if she didn't feel regret or have a conscience, so he was occasionally called upon to soothe her guilt.

"Because sometimes you want but you do not ask," he replied.

"I don't want to hurt you," she retorted a bit more seriously.

"No," he agreed with her, "You don't want to and therefore what you do does not hurt me."

He smiled wickedly at her and pulled with delicate lips at her mouth.

"You know that or you wouldn't let yourself go like you do," he whispered, "And you wouldn't love the game like you do."

"I…," she started but he stopped her with another kiss.

"_And you do so __love__ the game, don't you?" _his whisper becoming more of a soft rumble_, "Me pushing the buttons and you being forced to restrain me…" _

A gentle kiss.

"_Me getting a bit rough and you getting __rougher__…"_

A firm kiss.

"_Me testing the boundaries and you putting me in my place…"_

An urgent kiss.

_"You tear me apart and you love every second of it...and so...do...I."_

A playful lick at her lips.

"_Everyone has their dark desires and secret needs that they barely admit to themselves…only I'm here to fulfill __yours__…"_

He slid his hands under her clothing and it felt like his hands were everywhere. Elizabeth moaned softly to him but she didn't see the pleased smile on his face because her eyes were still closed from the round of kisses.

"_It's what I'm for,"_ he murmured in her ear, _"Give it all to me, I can take it."_

Elizabeth sighed heavily and pressed closer. He took her mouth again in an assertive kiss and she slid her hand between his legs. He purred seductively at her, the sound and the feel of his hardness enflaming her further. She gave a distressed groan and prepared herself for her torment. Sex with Lucifer was sometimes like being stuck in quicksand…once he had you in his clutches there was no escape and fighting it only made it worse.

He chuckled softly and took his time with her, breaking down her defenses one by one, until he could play her body like an instrument.

* * *

"Azazeal," Cassie started, looking at his slightly bowed head sadly, "De Ela Na O Agi Eka, Na Vpaai." She had said: You are only for me and no other, mine alone.

He looked up at her hopefully.

"Forever," she added.

Azazeal practically attacked her with kisses but did mange a breathy "_Na Adna_" before Cassie was too far gone in the pleasure he so easily drowned her in.

* * *

**Evil, Devilish, Halloween Sagarmatha says "No reviews then no more stories." Oh and check out the poll on my profile page and vote in my poll.**


	49. Chapter 49

When Daemon and Lucivar brought their Ladies back to the drawing room in the late afternoon, Elizabeth and Lucifer were waiting for them. Elizabeth gave Lucifer a quick smile before extracting herself to greet Jaenelle and Marian.

Jaenelle had clearly had enough of Daemon's fussing for one day and it only took one look from her to send Daemon scurrying over to Lucifer for company. Lucivar was harder to discourage and was allowed to see women situated on the couches to his satisfaction. Even Lucifer could feel the waves of orneriness coming off of Lucivar but he shut them out.

Daemon approached Lucifer a bit warily but when he got close he saw that Lucifer was reclined back casually in his chair with his eyes half closed. He acknowledged Daemon with a slight nod of his head.

"I'm sorry," Daemon said not certain of how he would be received.

Lucifer lifted an indolent hand and waved the apology away.

"Well, thank you, anyway," Daemon said, suddenly angry at Lucifer's unconcern.

"Oh," Lucifer countered, "You knew I wouldn't let you hurt anyone, not in her house. Don't be silly. Besides, you liked it, letting yourself go like that. I can appreciate the feeling, so I was happy to oblige, but you males really do get hostile, don't you?"

Lucifer said all of this in a low, lazy voice and without opening his eyes beyond half way.

"Yes, we do! It's the only thing that gets our stubborn females to listen to us when they need to," Daemon said, proud of himself for the day of successful fussing, but in true male style avoiding the realization that Jaenelle had relented to distract him from trying to fuss over every female in the house.

"Well, that and…" Daemon purred in a sexually charged rumble. It was getting towards the end of Jaenelle's moontime and his body was gearing up for her again. He was finding it difficult not to touch her in ways that would lead to hours of pleasure that her body just couldn't handle right now…according to him.

"Ever the sex kitten…" Lucifer mumbled to himself and then stretched and cozied himself deeper into his chair.

Daemon laughed and then lowered his voice seductively, moving closer to Lucifer and sending out tendrils of sexual energy, "I must admit, you can be quite intimidating for a mere pleasure slave."

It was Lucifer's turn to laugh, "Don't worry, I'll be on my knees again in no time….but not for you, my boy, not for you." Lucifer had fully closed his eyes now and he had not even bothered to grace Daemon with a condescending look after the brief attempt at seduction.

Daemon finally sat down across from Lucifer and said, "What's wrong with you? Because I have not lost my touch!"

"Well, since you asked, I instigated a nice, slow roll in the hay, literally, this afternoon…"

"It's her moontime!" Daemon nearly shouted.

"Yeah, Yeah, I pressed the pause button," Lucifer assured him and then mumbled something about squeamish males and then continued.

"…and now she's all soft and warm and languid. Honestly, I just want to curl up in her lap and bask in the glow," Lucifer murmured, his eyes now partially open again.

Daemon didn't understand but he knew that Lucifer felt things from Elizabeth similarly to how he did from Jaenelle. He also reminded himself sternly that these women were different and were more like ladens. They could not be broken and they didn't experience pain if they used their magic during their moontimes.

With a playful smirk, Daemon told Lucifer, "You're too big to curl up in anyone's lap."

In response, Lucifer lifted an eyebrow and open one eye to glare at him. Daemon laughed and Lucifer smiled.

Just then Azazeal entered with Cassie on his arm. Cassis was all aglow and Azazeal was wearing his red and gold wings as if it were normal to do so. It wasn't common for the angels to walk about with their wings on display, but it wasn't exactly strange either, except for the fact that he was also wearing a shirt, so that his wings were magically poking through the fabric. Now Elizabeth and Cassie still didn't quite understand the specifics, but apparently the angels considered wearing cloths and wings at the same time…somehow…tacky. So generally the top came off when the wings appeared but Azazeal didn't seem interested in the angelic sense of fashion at the moment.

Cassie drifted over to the ladies while Azazeal approached Daemon and Lucifer.

"Someone got laid!" Were the words Lucifer greeted him with from is comfortable spot in his chair.

Azazeal glared at him but the effect was lessened by the fact that his normally perfect hair was noticeably messy.

"Can't make them go away, can you?" Lucifer continued.

Reflexively, Azazeal delicately ruffled his feathers and lifted his head in defiance of Lucifer's teasing.

"I have a feeling you're going to pay for your little remark," Azazeal said, referring to being called a whore.

"She knows I meant it affectionatly," Lucifer said waving his hand again lazily and shifting languorous to achieve an even more comfy position.

"We'll see," was Azazeal's response.

A second later Lucifer sat up quite suddenly and opened his eyes fully for the first time. He watched Elizabeth and Cassie talking across the room for a moment and then relaxed back down in his spot.

"Well, you've ruined my glow for the time being but that's all you've accomplished," Lucifer said sourly.

Azazeal was noticeably irritated. He wasn't about to let the insult go. Partially for Daemon's benefit, since he hadn't been there when Lucifer had insulted Azazeal so grievously, Azazeal said, "You have no right to call me a whore simply because I…"

"Look, my dear, you know better than to interrupt me when I'm with her," Lucifer started in immediately, "Did you think you would get better treatment than the rest of them?" Lucifer said, trying, in his way, to apologize by pointing out that it was well known that he didn't take kindly to angels getting in the way of his devotion to Elizabeth.

"Besides, your words were ill-chosen," Lucifer smiled naughtily, "I can barely keep my clothes on from one moment to the next. How can you expect me to keep anything in my pants, hmm?"

At this Azazeal did laugh and Daemon along with him.

"So why is it that your wings won't go away?" Daemon asked, still chuckling.

Azazeal stopped and regarded Daemon intensely for a moment, then he decided to trust him. He had never opened up about his relationship with Cassie to the Blood like Lucifer had.

"She…she commanded something that I wanted…something that needed to be…decided…" Azazeal looked at Lucifer because it sounded wrong in mortal words, but his friend just shrugged.

"My body," he went on and looked down at himself and smiled, "I never have to use it with another. I guess I'm just feeling angelic at the moment."

Daemon understood this better than a male from Earth would have as he came from a world where it was common to ask males in a Court to service witches not only for the purposes of seeing a virgin witch through her virgin night but also as a courtesy to visiting guests. He had been a pleasure slave whose sole duty it was to do the servicing with none of the trappings of Court rules or protocol or honor. He had rebelled against all of it and had only ever really given his body to Jaenelle.

But even though he understood, the angel's sexual obedience sometimes bothered Daemon. Azazeal would only have used his sexual skills to accomplish something that Cassie wanted but still he would have done it unquestioningly and Daemon didn't like to think of the things Lucifer allowed in the bedroom.

"A good Queen will always know what her males need," Daemon said simply as Lucivar joined them and decided to listen for a while before commenting. Which was best because he was still very testy.

Azazeal, whose mood had been elevated to prickly by irritable Lucivar's presence, gave Daemon and Lucivar something approaching a menacing glare because he didn't like the innuendo that Cassie might not be an excellent Queen.

"Oh, excellent, you can't complain about that anymore," Lucifer offered.

Azazeal whirled on Lucifer who was really trying to be good-natured, "I wasn't complaining, I was suffering. It hurt to know that she wanted me for herself but wouldn't decree it."

"Yes, I know how it feels…"

"You love to suffer, you don't get to sympathize…" Azazeal retorted.

"You know I have suffered, Azazeal, you know it very well," Lucifer growled.

Azazeal knew how long it had taken Lucifer to explain himself to Elizabeth and to trust her. He remembered a time when their sexplay was not a lighthearted game. He knew how many times Lucifer had fallen to his knees, his eyes filled with desperately repentant tears instead of blissful love, because no matter how many times he had reenacted the fall from grace, the punishment, and, most importantly, the forgiveness, it had never been enough to satisfy his damaged heart. And Azazeal remembered a time when Elizabeth didn't understand what terrified Lucifer the most. Because despite all of the strange and graphic images Lucifer had sent to Elizabeth, despite the dominance games, despite the willing submission to pain, and the wild eagerness to please, it had taken Lucifer a very long time to find the words to tell her that he wanted her to take everything and all that he asked for in return was that she not abandon him.

Azazeal's expression softened, "I'm sorry, my friend."

Lucifer waved the apology away but not as light-heartedly as he had dismissed Daemon's earlier. He didn't like to be reminded of the times when he had struggled in his relationship with Elizabeth. And he was irritated because he wanted Elizabeth's glow back. It had been banished but he felt it warming up again.

"And they say we're feisty," Lucivar grumbled to Daemon. Lucivar was still grumpy because Marian was at a very sensitive time in her moontime.

Just then there was a strange flutter in front of them and Lucifer was no longer among them. Azazeal caught their eyes and pointed over to the ladies. And there was Lucifer…but not Lucifer.

Before Elizabeth was an angelic youth, not a child but not yet a young man. He was naked but a strategically placed white and gold wing tip shielded his unmentionables. He was a perfect version of what Lucifer's body would have looked like at that human age and even his wings had patches of baby feathers amongst the larger ones. And yet he looked as otherworldly as the naked cherubs painted on church ceilings.

"Oh, honey!" Elizabeth said in a voice that showed her confusion about how to deal with him: as her lover being silly or as the boy that he looked like. He'd obviously not pulled this trick before.

He held his arms up and she moved to embrace him. When she pulled away, he crawled into her lap, curled up into a ball, and surrounded himself with his little wings. Elizabeth with a bemused look on her face, kissed the top of his head and shrugged to Cassie, Jaenelle and Marian.

A sharp chorus of laughter irrupted from the boys and in response the angelic youth pulled back his wings, lifted up, and stuck out his tongue at them with the full force of that childish condemnation. He then resettled himself.

Elizabeth laughed and stroked the full length of one of his wings. It trembled slightly and he snuggled closer.

* * *

**_Please visit my profile page and vote for which male you would like to warm your bed!!!!_**


	50. Chapter 50

**Okay so I lied! I have updated this chapter with a bit more at the end. My rant about Daemon will appear as a new individual story so stay tuned!**

* * *

Unfortunately, Lucifer's guise as a boy did not accomplish his goal. There was a glow and a warmth coming from Elizabeth but it was entirely maternal. Still he basked in it anyway because it was fascinatingly novel to him and spent a good hour happily pressed against her enjoying what a mother's love felt like.

When it was time for dinner, however, he flatly refused to change back to a man. He sat there, his knees on either side of her legs, his face pursed up in childish determination. He crossed his arms across his chest and his wings extended themselves wide and then fell back down slowly as if they had wanted to perform some gesture of defiance but didn't know how.

Elizabeth tried all sorts of reasoned arguments as the rest of them watched and then finally she said, "Well, little boys have bedtimes and it's past yours."

He considered this more than he had the other arguments but then stuck out his tongue at her. She suppressed a laugh and then said, "Fine!" She picked him up and carried him to their bedroom.

Elizabeth put little Lucifer down on the bed and then went to hunt for something to clothe him with before tucking him into bed. It was technically unnecessary but it felt right. When she turned around with a pair of shorts, she found the full sized Lucifer lounging naked on their bed, his wings casually spread out beneath him.

"Do you want another child?" he asked a little too seductively for having just been a boy in her arms but there was no use explaining this to him.

"No…well…no," Elizabeth replied.

There was part of her that did want another child. She loved their boys will all her heart and they were a source of joy in her life. The boys' effect on Lucifer was adorable too. He was proud of them and often dropped in on them randomly to visit but generally ended up disrupting everyone's lives, though since this was an expected occurrence and it did not cause any real harm. He also watched them and their families secretly more then they knew and had actually helped them in ways they would never know. It would be nice to have another little one running around and to watch Lucifer teach the child things no mortal should know, but…Elizabeth didn't have the heart to tell him that she and Cassie lamented the fact that angelic children grew up too quickly. There was hardly anytime to enjoy them before they were off on their own. It was selfish but true. There were other reasons too, their good work in the world and in Jaenelle's world took up a lot of their time, but the call to motherhood did tug on both women.

"Are you sure?" he rumbled.

Elizabeth paused, considering how she should respond because it was hard to explain to an angel how one could want something and yet make a responsible decision not to fulfill the desire.

"Let me give it to you," he sighed and putting his hand on his chest, slowly slid it down the length of his body until he was stroking himself into readiness.

Elizabeth could only watch this for a few moments before she was compelled to crawl on to the bed with him. As she moved to straddle him, he let his hand fall away and his hips pressed against her gently before they retreated back to the bed respectfully. He was looking at her as if nothing existed but this moment, as if the purpose of his existence was being here lying under her, as if the only thing that mattered was what she might do next. She was used to this look and knew what it probably meant.

"You would give me a child?" she asked experimentally, whispering in his ear.

"_Tol_," he replied with breathless eagerness. The word meant "anything" and it also happened to mean "everything."

She was right. The slip into angelic was far too easy, too quick. It had been too long since he'd done something for her worthy of her rank and that proved his love and devotion to the degree he thought was sufficient. They had guests so she could hardly take care of this now, but they would be going home in a few days, so she would deal with it then.

To satisfy his immediate need, Elizabeth kissed him deeply and nudged mentally at his urge to worship that was all too keen to obey her. His breath quickened, his body started shaking slowly and rhythmically. And then the words came, sweet and loving and joyful, until he had no more to give and he lay beneath her utterly spent, his offering glistening on his belly.

The Lucifer that joined the group for dinner was quiet, attentive, and humble. No one thought it strange and this was a great relief to Elizabeth. The last thing he needed was for her to feel uncomfortable about him right now. He was still bizarrely sensitive about some things, just like Azazeal, and it was still possible to uncover his underlying fear that he had done something that she could not forgive. Forgiveness was her special gift to him, more precious than anything else, because she was the only one to have given it to him…and there had been a lot to forgive. If he thought he might loose that, he would react badly and though he had told her before that he would not mistake her anger for a fall from her grace, it would not stop him from singing for absolution if she sent confusing signals to him.

* * *

After dinner, Daemon approached the quiet Lucifer and asked, "Get in trouble again?"

Lucifer stared at him blankly for a moment before a warm smile spread across his face.

"She liked the boy," he said, "So I offered to give her another child."

"How..?" Daemon asked, knowing of course that a woman shouldn't be able to get pregnant during her moontime but underestimating who he was talking to.

"She took what she wanted," Lucifer interrupted, "as is her privilege, and my offering was instead a sacrifice."

Lucifer smiled again and left Daemon as if he could not possibly have any other questions. He did have questions but he would just ask Azazeal later.

Elizabeth herself had only known what Lucifer had done when, as she explored his body encouragingly with her mouth, his lovely words had become wild and incomprehensible though the feelings coming from him remained clear and ardent. She had heard this only twice before, when their sons had been conceived. Lucifer had spent potent seed instead of the substance that merely mimicked that of a human male. He had put himself in it and then wasted it. Not wasted in a frivolous way, but as he had said, as a sacrifice. As any human male, he had a virtually unlimited supply and so the act had been purely symbolic and an entirely Lucifer-like thing to do.

After Azazeal had considered Lucifer's words as Daemon had repeated him, he tried to explain but it was hard for a person with no concept of God or the Old Testament stories of a living sacrifice to understand. As Daemon considered Azazeal's explanation, Azazeal smiled to himself at the reason why Lucifer, the warrior of earlier in the day, had come to dinner as the servant. Azazeal thought that it might help to explain to Daemon what it felt like to be able to choose to impart your essence like that instead of having it already individually packaged by the body but he didn't think that even a man that had Daemon's amount of control over his own body would understand.

"Will he never run out of things to give to her?" Daemon asked, pulling Azazeal out of his reverie.

He smiled broadly and said, "No and she will never know from one minute to the next what she will receive from him."

Daemon chuckled and Azazeal continued in a low and meaningful tone, as if prophesying the future.

"Just as Lucivar will never stop finding battles to fight and will never tired of standing guard over his family. And just like you will never stop righting wrongs or stop serving your Queen with loyalty and honor."

Daemon's heart swelled with emotion but he resisted the strange urge to hug Azazeal.

"And you?" Daemon asked.

Azazeal's smile grew wide again and he shuttered his eyes for a moment before looking Daemon in the eyes and answering, "I will never stop wanting her to need me and depend upon me…and I will give myself to noone but her."

A few days later the Blood returned home. The angels and the Blood remained friends for many, many, many years to come.

**The End**

I hope you enjoyed my story! Thanks for reading!


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